18th Sep 2024 05:28
(Alliance News) - The UK foreign secretary will discuss deepening defence, security ties with Norway and tackling threats from Russia when he meets his Norwegian counterpart on Wednesday.
David Lammy called Norway "our eyes and ears in the High North" and "a key ally in the defence of Nato's northern flank" ahead of a trip to the country.
He will visit Norwegian Joint Headquarters, the country's military command centre, with Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide.
The UK and Norway will agree to further intelligence sharing and cooperation to counter Russian disinformation networks in Europe and beyond, the Foreign Office said.
The foreign secretary said: "With the return of war to the European continent, the UK's relationship with Norway, as a key ally in the defence of Nato's northern flank, has never been more important.
"We are both unwavering in our support to Ukraine, and together we are training and supporting the Ukrainian armed forces including boosting the country's air defence and maritime capabilities.
"Norway acts as our eyes and ears in the High North; our joint work at the Norwegian military headquarters underlines the importance of our work to bolster Europe's defences.
"Euro-Atlantic security is this government's foreign and defence priority."
Lammy will speak with his Norwegian counterpart about joint work in the High North to detect, deter and contain threats and defend Nato's northern flank.
The two foreign ministers are also expected to talk about efforts to tackle Moscow's efforts to evade the embargo on Russian oil with a "shadow fleet".
The UK recently announced sanctions on 10 ships it said were operating as part of a shadow fleet.
The foreign secretary will also welcome Norway's navy patrols of the waters between the UK and the Russian Northern Fleet to monitor and deter subsea threats to energy, security and critical national infrastructure.
Norway has hosted Arctic training for the British Armed Forces for more than 50 years.
More than 4,000 UK troops will visit Norway in the next six months for winter training and military exercises.
Keir Starmer met Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Store in July and agreed to begin work on a new Norwegian-UK partnership on security and the energy transition.
Lammy pledged that the Foreign Office would put the global green energy transition at the centre of its mission in his first major speech as Foreign Secretary on Tuesday.
source: PA
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