UK and Norway Ministers of Defense: Europe Has to Step Up and Do More
The British and Norwegian Minister of Defense, John Healey and Tore O. Sandvik, visited the state of the art British Navy Survaillance ship during their visit to Bodø in the Norwegian Arctic. The British soldiers were dressed for harsh environment. (All photos: Trine Jonassen)
"We have a common interest with the USA to protect the border to Russia," said the Norwegian minister of defense while visiting the Norwegian Arctic with his British colleague John Healey. The two ministers agreed that Europe has to do more to secure itself going forward.
Although the Norwegian minister of defense (Labor) has only had his new job for two weeks, he met with his British colleague John Healey (Labor) for the fourth time, only now on the Norwegian border to Russa in the Norwegian Arctic.
Healey and Tore O. Sandvik met to announce a brand-new collaboration on critical underwater infrastructure safety.
As the pair traveled to Bodø, just above the Arctic Circle on Thursday, they dived deeper into the more burning security questions in the wake of US President Donald J. Trump's one-month-old presidency.
Still, they left no doubts that the villain is Russian President Vladimir Putin, not Trump.
Deteriorated
“Over the past years, both Norway's and United Kingdom's security environment has deteriorated in the wake of Russia's brutal and devastating full-scale invasion of Ukraine,” Norwegian Minister of Defense Tore O. Sandvik stated.
Norway and UK will step up
“War is raging in Europe. These are demanding times. And as close allies, it is crucial that we can adopt our joint strategic partnership to this new and lasting security political change. Therefore, we are here to announce a new ambitious defense agreement between our two countries.”
Sandvik also reassured that both Norway and the UK will step up the commitment to work together to strengthen Euro-Atlantic security in NATO, the Joint Expeditionary Force, the Northern Group, and other multilateral forums.
Undersea sabotage
Despite Russia's focus on its war in Ukraine, Russia continues to place great value on its capacities meant for undersea sabotage.
“Over many years, Russia has continued to fund and develop military capacities meant for undersea sabotage targeting Western critical infrastructure on deep waters. The United Kingdom and Norway know that Russia is willing to utilize all means at its disposal to undermine Western cohesion and support to Ukraine,” the Norwegian minister said.
He is concerned that Russia's decision-making calculus for damaging western undersea critical infrastructure may be changing. And he fears escalating an already tense situation.
Norway and the United Kingdom are joining forces to create a new and comprehensive agreement that will strengthen defense and security cooperation. This applies, among other things, to securing underwater infrastructure. This week, the british minister of defense, John Healy visited Bodø in Northern Norway.
“Any activities that damage seabed infrastructure, including undersea cables, especially during periods of high tensions, risk misunderstandings, and misperceptions that could lead to unintended escalation,” Sandvik said.
Ukraine support
The ministers held court at the British Navy surveillance ship RFA Proteus in Bodø, used by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) and dedicated to underwater surveillance. Two minutes away, the Norwegian Coast Guard KV Bison moored, facing the Norwegian Sea.
Both ships are equipped with the Kongsberg Hugin Autonomous Underwater Vehicle, which is capable of surveilling underwater infrastructure bound to extreme depths.
“By using our advanced capabilities to monitor our underwater infrastructure, we can send a message to anyone who may intend to cause harm to our critical national infrastructure that we will see you,” Sandvik stated.
Stepping up
John Healey wanted to emphasize the importance of Ukraine's support during the press meeting on the British ship. This topic also kept coming up among the international press representatives present.
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“As two European nations, we will further step up the support we give to Ukraine. Ukraine is still fighting. We must keep them in the fight,” John Healey said firmly.
“We must try to keep them strong to secure that peace for the long term.”
Beyond Ukraine
Exactly what that peace will look like, nobody knows at the moment. However, the British minister of defense said that Norway and Britain would jointly lead the maritime coalition of a dozen nations supporting Ukraine.
“Especially with maritime power and helping them build up their own power for the future. Russia remains a threat beyond Ukraine, and Russia's aggression is not confined to Ukraine. We must meet that challenge and confront that together," Healey stated.
"Our freedom, Europe's freedom, and security lies now in Ukraine.”
Security guarantee that goes both ways
Spend more
One of the Trump administration's statements is to cut 8% from the defense budget for each of the next 5 years.
The cuts come as Trump is calling on NATO allies to increase defense spending to five percent of gross domestic product (GDP), which would amount to a massive increase in spending for nearly every single NATO country.
The British minister of defense acknowledges that Europe, in fact, must do more.
“We have to do more for our own security. We have to spend more on the defense budget.”
Work together
The Norwegian minister cut in to share that Norway is well on its way.
“In Norway, we have this long-term plan that is getting close to 3%, but we are also taking more responsibility in our maritime areas. And, we have to strengthen the bonds between European allies, to work together to standardize more of the equipment we have to buy. This is the most important part of strengthening NATO.”
"Great Britain and Norway have acquired many of the same high-tech weapons systems in recent years. The aim is that through more joint military training we will be able to operate as efficiently as possible together", says Tore O. Sandvik, Minister of Defense in Norway. RFA Proteus visited Bodø, northern Norway this week.
He reassures that the U.S. is still an important part of European security in the High North.
“This is the security guarantee that goes both ways. It's important for the U.S. that we are the ears and the eyes in the High North for NATO. And it's, of course, important for us to have the security guarantee that the U.S. gives us through NATO.”
Could end today
And no matter what new verbal bombs are being dropped across the pond, John Healey has no doubts about who started the war in Ukraine.
“This war started because Russia invaded the territory of a sovereign state. This war is continuing because the Ukrainians are fighting with great courage, military and civilians alike. And this war could be ended today if President Putin withdrew his troops from Ukraine.”
And when that day comes, the UK will play its part and provide security guarantees that are required for the long term.
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“Because the one feature of any ceasefire and any peace is that it must not be broken again by Russia reinvading Ukraine.”
Never bigger
Will Trump turn his back on a NATO in need? Healey does not seem to think so.
“For me, NATO has never been bigger, never been stronger. Putin wants to divide NATO; he wants to divide Europe. But we must do more, and we will. That isn't just about how much you spend; it's about how you spend it," says John Healey.
“Can we still trust President Trump to help us accomplish those goals? It's in President Trump and America's interests that we get a durable peace, as he's argued and pledged to deliver. It's in President Trump's and America's interests that the Euro-Atlantic area is stable, secure, and NATO is strong.”
No absence
How will you handle an absence of US defense support going forward?
“There's no question of an absence of US support. The US is a hard-wired part of NATO, and is challenging us as European nations, however, to do more alongside them.
The Russian nuclear capacity at the Kola Peninsula is threatening the US
There is also the case of Putin's nuclear weapons placed at the Kola Penisula, only a few kilometers from the Norwegian border, pointed at the USA and UK.
“The Russian nuclear capacity at the Kola Peninsula is threatening the US,” Tore Sandvik adds.
“We are in the same boat. We have common interests.”
The Russian threat
To HNN, John Healey emphasizes how important this first visit to the Arctic has been. To observe the closeness to Russia with his own eyes.
“You can get briefings, you can read policy papers, but unless you stand on the border and you look over into Russia, and we did yesterday, you do not understand how close the Russian threat is”.
Tore O. Sandvik og John Healey, Norwegian and British ministers of defense, on board the British Navy Survaillance ship in Bodø, northern Norway.
How dependent are we on US defense support?
“The US is not stepping away. US defense minister Pete Hegseth told us at the Munich Security Conference, «Look, we're clear on who the good guys are and who the bad guys are.”
Aggressor against the West
When asked why the UK and Norway have chosen to strengthen their security cooperation now, the Norwegian minister of defense says to HNN that the security situation has changed.
“Even with peace in Ukraine, Russia will be an aggressor against the West. This means that we will experience more from Russia, not least when it comes to underwater infrastructure, which is a crucial part of our modern life economy”.
"The US's security depends on Norway's ability to deter Russia, so it is in the USA's own interest. And that was also my message when I spoke to Pete Hegseth. That we collaborate closely. Great Britain, Norway, and the USA have a very close collaboration in the North,” said Sandvik, adding that he took the opportunity to invite Hegseth to Norway.
“We want to keep the USA close. So, we believe it is important to have close dialogue with them.”
To sum up, as long as Putin's nuclear weapons keep pointing toward Donald Trump's lawn, the High North remains safe and supported.
