Urgent Meeting in the Norwegian Defense Commission: The War has Changed A Lot in a Short Period of Time

The Defense Commission’s original task is to provide input on what will best maintain Norwegian security in a 10-to-20-year perspective, however, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has led the Commission to make an exemption.

“We are originally a commission that does not have to be on top of day-to-day developments; our job is to lift our gaze and look far ahead. However, the Ukraine situation demands that we, too, assess what this will signify for us”, says Commission Chair Knut Storberget in a press release.

During the meeting, which was digital, a group of professionals were gathered to provide an updated overview over the situation and answer questions from the commission’s members.

“The fact that they all take this time out from their busy schedules in a demanding situation is something I and the rest of the Commission are very grateful for. It has been very valuable for us to receive information from those who are close on a very dramatic situation”, Storberget says.

“We all agree that this war has changed a lot in a short period of time. Several countries have abandoned their own restrictions and principles, things we did not see coming or even possible just a short time ago”, the Commission Chair says.

He says the debate, both in Norway as well as in large parts of the world, is about defense and security politics – and that it is likely to remain so for quite some time ahead.

“It will also affect us, and the work we are currently doing will if possible be even more important”, Knut Storberget says.

This article was originally published in Norwegian and has been translated by HNN's Elisabeth Bergquist.