THE STORING (Dagbladet): – If a fire is to be extinguished, it must be doused with enough water. It’s the only way.
Guri Melby will meet Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre this afternoon. There is one item on the agenda: Norwegian financial aid to Ukraine.
– Around NOK 130 billion is the level we believe Norway should be at now. That corresponds to roughly a doubling of what we have committed to for the time being, says Melby to Dagbladet.
The other parliamentary leaders on Løvebakken will also meet with Støre today, and a press conference has been announced afterwards.
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Money
The question is how much Støre and the government will increase Norwegian support to Ukraine.
Melby reminds us of what is at stake, and that the values at stake cannot be measured in kroner and øre: It is about Europe’s future, she argues.
– It’s urgent. The longer this takes, the harder it will be for Ukraine to resist Putin’s war. If we are to stop Putin, it is important that we show muscle now. It goes without saying that this is a very exhausting situation for Ukraine, they cannot last forever without significantly more help, says Melby.
– What Ukraine needs most now is money, and if there’s one thing Norway has a lot of, it’s money. We must dare to say that Ukraine can actually lose this war without enough help.
Match Denmark
The left-wing leader points to Denmark and Sweden has taken over Norway on the “table” of donor countries to Ukraine. Sweden gives more than Norway compared to the size of Swedish value creation – while the Danes also give more than Norway in number of kronerdespite the fact that Norway is a richer country.
– Norway boasts of being best in class in terms of support for Ukraine, but we are no longer that. Therefore, Jonas Gahr Støre and the government must find more money, concludes Melby.
– A minimum is that Norway matches Denmark in the number of kroner, but we can afford even more.
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Action rule and inflation
She would particularly like Norway to provide financial support so that Ukraine can start its own arms production.
– What about the action rule and the fear of increased inflation in Norway?
– There are many experts who say that money spent outside Norway does not affect inflation in our country. These are funds to be used in Ukraine, to defend Ukraine. Then there are also far fewer restrictions on how much money we can spend.
What is at stake
She believes it is important for the government and the rest of Norway’s leading politicians to take on board what is unfolding on the battlefield in Ukraine.
– The Second World War is a comparable crisis. This is a war we cannot afford to lose. There can be nothing more important to politicians right now than making sure that the right side wins this conflict, says the Liberal leader and adds:
– Then we can’t count the kroner or wait. We need to lend support now, and put out this Putin fire before the whole edifice catches fire. Norwegian security is also threatened if Russia wins the war. After all, we want a world with more democracies, not fewer. Then we have to join the fight.
