Historical Norwegian-Russian meeting

It is the first time ever that a Norwegian Chief of Defence visits Russia. On the invitation of his Russian counterpart, General Harald Sunde this week paid a visit to Moscow.

In meetings with Nikolai Makarov, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Sunde discussed an expansion of cooperation in the two countries joint High North.

-We have agreed to further develop our cooperation both on land and in the air, Sunde told NRK. We will engage in exchange of unit personnel, visits and later we will also be able to take part in joint exercises, he added.

–The relations are now based on a very high level of trust, Sunde underlined.

The Chief of Defence stressed that it is the long lines which are of importance for the cooperation and that episodes like the recent Norwegian detention of the trawler Sapphire-II in the waters around Svalbard do not seriously affect cooperation. -We discuss also the difficult issues, Sunde underlined to the Norwegian broadcaster.

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The visit comes after years with increasingly close military cooperation between the countries in the High North. So far, however, the cooperation has first of all focused on the navies and maritime issues. Two years in a row, the Pomor exercises have been held with success. This year’s exercise included both a Norwegian frigate and a Russian destroyer and offered joint training in boarding operations, search and rescue, air defense, navigation and communication procedures.

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Both sides have clearly signaled that they want an extension of the cooperation. During his visit to Oslo this year, Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander of the Western Military District Nikolay Maksimov confirmed that he wants both army and air force units, and possibly even submarines, involved in next year’s exercise.

The Norwegian high level military visit today continues in Sankt Petersburg.