Ukraine, The war in Ukraine | – I don’t want to spend time on MDG’s stomach-churning

PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE (Nettavisen): – I have no need to comment on Arild Hermstad’s belly splash, says Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre to Nettavisen.

On Tuesday, the Prime Minister was able to say that Norway is getting NOK seven billion from the Nansen programme, money that was actually supposed to be used in later years, and is making it available to Ukraine already this year. Six of the seven billion go to military purposes. One billion goes to civil purposes, including to secure the country’s energy supply.

Read more: Parties chastise the government’s Ukraine package

It is much needed money for Ukraine. Russia is pushing along the entire front line, and Ukraine is in desperate need of special artillery ammunition and anti-aircraft missiles.

Keep up to date on the war in Ukraine, listen to Nettavisen’s “Ukrainapodden” here.

MDG: – A belly splash

Nevertheless, the Norwegian opposition is screaming for more money for Ukraine. MDG leader Arild Hermstad is ready to tell Nettavisen:

– I had high expectations that Støre would now understand the seriousness of Ukraine, but this ended in a stomach slap. The increase is only 2.1 billion more than last year, and it is nowhere near what Ukraine needs now. That the government is now patting itself on the back for increasing the level marginally from 2023 stands in contrast to what other heads of state have done.

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Hermstad believes Europe needs clear leaders who understand the seriousness the continent is facing, and he believes Norway should have a higher level of support than what we have.

– The situation in Ukraine is serious. Putin’s strategy is for Ukraine to lose support from the West, so it is important that we allocate more than what the government has now done, Hermstad believes.

He believes that Norway is in a very special situation, due to the extraordinary additional income we have had since the start of the war. Before Russia invaded Ukraine, the Russians turned off the gas tap to Europe, which increased Norway’s income. After 24 February 2022, prices rose further.

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– We therefore have an enormous opportunity to do more. Now the war is in a critical phase, and if it goes the wrong way, it is also threatening for Norway. If Putin manages to break the defense lines of Ukraine, it is bad news for the security of the whole of Europe.

Støre experiences broad support

– Norway spends large sums on supporting Ukraine, which we must have control over, and know where it is going. It is the largest country program we have ever had and we are increasing it significantly now in the middle of the year. In meetings with the parties in the Storting, I feel that there is broad support for that approach, says Støre to Nettavisen.

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– Is it a bit strange to be scolded for not spending enough oil money?

– One could be tempted to say that MDG has used oil money many times in many schemes. This is money earned from activities that the MDG is against, so it will be a bit funny. We must use oil money in a responsible and necessary way, says the Prime Minister to Nettavisen.

Nor does Finance Minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum (Sp) take the criticism from Hermstad in MDG particularly seriously.

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– MDG has said that we will give NOK 1,000 billion to Ukraine, but they are opposed to the Norwegian oil and gas industry, which creates the financing. I think it gets a bit hollow sometimes, when the party that is most against Norwegian oil and gas are the ones that are most in favor of giving away different kinds of money, says Vedum to Nettavisen.

Denmark has given significantly more money than Norway. In total, they have provided over NOK 70 billion in civil and military support. In addition, they have provided approximately eight billion Norwegian kroner via the EU. In comparison, the Norwegian Nansen package is NOK 75 billion, spread over five years.

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– We do what we say we are going to do, and we are going to step up something, but we also have to step up the Norwegian defence. We are neighbors with Russia, and it is therefore important that we have good capacities here at home, while at the same time we support Ukraine in their struggle, says Vedum.