Moscow slams Norway plans to double US troop presence
Moscow on 14 June criticised Norway’s plans to ask Washington to double the number of US troops stationed in the Scandinavian country and deploy them nearer the border with Russia.
The plans ‘cause us serious concern,’ Russia’s embassy in Norway wrote on its Facebook page.
Before joining NATO in 1949, Norway allayed Russian fears by pledging not to open its territory to foreign combat troops so long as it was not attacked or threatened with attack.
The stationing of US troops in Norway ‘contravenes the Norwegian decision from 1949... This makes Norway less predictable, can stoke tensions, incite an arms race and lead to a destabilisation of the situation in northern Europe,’ the embassy wrote.
Oslo’s announcement came after nine nations along NATO’s eastern flank recently called for the alliance to bolster its presence in their region.
Since 2017, 330 US Marines have been deployed on rotation at Vaernes in the centre of Norway, despite loud protests from Russia.
Oslo now wants to boost the troop numbers to 700 and station them further north at Setermoen, 420kms from Russia.
The US deployment agreement would also be extended from the current six-month renewable periods to five years.
Frank Bakke-Jensen, Norwegian Minister of Defence, said in a statement: ‘The defence of Norway depends on the support of our NATO allies, as is the case in most other NATO countries. For this support to work in times of crises and war, we are totally dependent on joint training and exercises in times of peace.’
Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia had on 8 June called for NATO to discuss an increased military presence in their region at the leaders’ summit in Brussels in July 2018.
The group said it was necessary to supplement NATO’s current ground forces ‘with aerial and naval components.’
NATO beefed up defences in central and eastern Europe in response to growing fears about Russia, following Moscow’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Norway has insisted that it is respecting its 1949 commitment, noting that the troop presence is not permanent but rotational.
But Moscow rejected that argument.
It said: ‘Even if the actual people are rotated, the stationing is continuous.’
Russia also expressed ‘concern’ that the ‘plans were agreed in Oslo without any real bilateral political dialogue.’
More from Defence Notes
-
![Teledyne FLIR adds GPS-denied 3D-mapping capabilities to its CBRN uncrewed platforms]()
Teledyne FLIR adds GPS-denied 3D-mapping capabilities to its CBRN uncrewed platforms
In a partnership with Emesent, Teledyne FLIR will equip its autonomous air, ground and detection systems with the Hovermap LiDAR payload in a move that highlights a broader market shift towards modular architectures, shared payloads and interoperability across platforms.
-
![US seeks 32% boost for missile defence budget with $23 billion earmarked for interceptors]()
US seeks 32% boost for missile defence budget with $23 billion earmarked for interceptors
The Pentagon’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year includes an impressive increase in the procurement of interceptors, with the number of the US Army’s PAC-3 MSE rounds expanding by 683%, the US Navy’s Standard Missile by 365% and the MDA’s SM-3 IIA by more than 1,000%.
-
![US Army partners with Global Military Products to surge munitions production]()
US Army partners with Global Military Products to surge munitions production
Global Military Products was selected by the US Army to operate the Quad Cities Cartridge Case Facility and ramp up the production of various calibre shell cases.
-
![Growing a digital backbone: an essential capability for the multi-domain battlespace]()
Growing a digital backbone: an essential capability for the multi-domain battlespace
Future operational superiority will be defined by the ability to connect systems, data and personnel into a wider network. For armed forces, this creates the need for a digital backbone that integrates and enhances sensors and effectors of all kinds.
-
![Estonia opts for smart, adaptable and cooperative solutions in the face of Russian threat]()
Estonia opts for smart, adaptable and cooperative solutions in the face of Russian threat
Estonian-made equipment is being put through the toughest of evaluations in the hands of Ukrainian soldiers resisting the full-scale Russian invasion which began in 2022. The country has long seen the threat and is continuing to adapt for the future.
