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Norway to increase defense budget by more than 1 billion dollars

May 2, 2023

In the next few years, Norway will spend more than $1 billion more on defense to meet NATO requirements. It is also influenced by the Russian aggression against Ukraine.

This is reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing a statement by Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, quoted by Norsk Rikskringkasting.

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"We put forward a plan today to use at least 2 percent of GDP for defense until 2026," the statement said.

It is noted that Norway has so far been one of the countries that has not had a concrete plan to achieve this goal.

Norwegian Finance Minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum said that after the start of the full-scale Russian war against Ukraine, the country wants to strengthen its national defense and ability to defend itself.

According to him, the war in Ukraine accelerated the government's plans to achieve the agreed NATO goal.

Norwegian Defense Minister Bjørn Arild Gram previously stated that the need for military support for Ukraine is urgent and large-scale. Such a defense budget would also allow to help Ukraine as well as to strengthen Norway’s own Armed Forces.

Author – Anastasiya Glotova, 02/05/2023

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