Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (Ap) says that he has not noticed anything about American attempts to influence Norwegian politics.
We report from Munich and Oslo
On Saturday, Støre will meet US Foreign Minister Marco Rubio at the security conference at the weekend.
– This is a good opportunity to have a good talk with the Americans, Støre said when he arrived at the conference on Friday afternoon.
Attempts to repair relations with the United States are a major topic at the security conference, with close to 50 heads of state and government present.
Støre points to three main issues.
– One is Ukraine. That war is catastrophic for those affected by it, but it also has major consequences for security policy throughout Europe.
– So talking to Americans and Europeans about how we support Ukraine’s defense struggle economically, politically, militarily – it will be an important topic for us.
Then it is useful to meet many American politicians, he emphasizes.
The shock wave
Table of Contents
European politicians got a taste of the whip from the new Trump administration here at the security conference in Munich a year ago. Then his vice-president JD Vance came with scathing criticism of his European allies.
Vance said European countries were destroying themselves with uncontrolled immigration and attempts to ban right-wing nationalist parties from power.
In the past year, people from the Trump administration have maintained close contact with parties and governments closer to the Maga movement. When Marco Rubio leaves Munich, according to media reports, he will go on to Hungary to meet Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
No noticeable impact
– This about influencing European politics began in Munich last year, with the American vice-president. Have you noticed anything that suggests that the USA is doing the same in Norway, asks VG’s reporter on the spot.
– No, I have not noticed that in Norway. And when it came to what happened last year, the vice-president also got a very clear answer from politicians inside and outside the government at the time, says Støre.
The Norwegian Prime Minister says that he would rather prioritize talking up the relationship with the US in the Nordic areas, and in NATO.
– I want to say what we stand for, in open democracies with free elections. But those are not the main issues in the meetings with Americans. There will be cooperation with the Americans, support for Ukraine, how the US and Europe will find a new balance. We are in favor of Europe taking greater responsibility. It started before Trump, and it is a work we are currently doing, says Støre.
Verbal attacks
In the year that has passed since last year’s Munich conference, the Trump administration has introduced punitive tariffs against America’s allies in Europe. Trump has repeatedly said that he wants to take control of Greenland, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
In Davos in January, he verbally attacked Europe again. He said, among other things, that Denmark was “ungrateful”, that only the United States can protect this “enormous mass of land”.
Gap between the US and Europe
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz opened the conference on Friday afternoon with a clear message to the United States: Germany refuses to give up security policy cooperation across the Atlantic.
– But the US vice-president was right in what he said last year: A gap has opened between the US and Europe, said Merz.
He did not want to give up NATO cooperation, but said that Europe must build up its own strong and independent pillar in NATO. Merz said talks are underway with French President Emmanuel Macron about a separate European nuclear deterrent.
Germany will invest enormous amounts in its own defense in the coming years. One of the big projects is a new generation of submarines to be developed in close cooperation with Norway.
Do you have any tips?
Send us information, photos or video.
date:2026-02-13 13:28:00
Keep reading