Norway stated it stops political cooperation with Russia due to escalation in Ukraine

Erna Solberg, Norwegian Prime Minister
(Image: Wikipedia)

Norway’s government has officially declared on Sunday, 23 November, that it stops political cooperation with Russian Federation, according to the statement of Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg. She stated it in her interview made for Ukrainian newspaper “Dzerkalo Tyzhnya” (“Weekly Mirror”). In addition to that Norway also recalls all its military experts working in the field of strengthening of trust between the two countries and stops also all the joint trainings and maneuvers with Russian military.

“It is connected to the current situation in Ukraine,” Mrs. Solberg declared.

According to Norwegian Prime Minister, Oslo and Moscow still keep contacts in the sphere of the marine transportation and fishing, as these relations and this cooperation is a common practice, and Norwegian government doesn’t see it necessary to cut these relations.

It’s worth mentioning that despite the fact that Norway isn’t a member of European Union, this country appeared in the sanctions’ list of Russian government against European countries, facing trade embargo. Thus, Russia has closed its market for Norwegian production, although nearly 10% of fish export of Norway was in Russian Federation.

Norway in its turn joined all the sanctions of EU countries imposed recently against Russian state due to the escalation of situation in Ukraine. Sanctions include financial restrictions for Russian companies and banks and personal restrictions and visa bans for specific Russian citizens. Norwegian government states that Russian position regarding Ukraine and further escalation if violence in the region is unacceptable.

Originally published by The Levant.