The UK and Norway have agreed to develop a strategic partnership to counter shared threats in the undersea domain, including threats to undersea infrastructure, defence secretary Ben Wallace has said.
Speaking at a news conference with Norway’s defence minister, Bjorn Arild Gram, Mr Wallace told reporters that NATO partners had to work together to make sure the northern flank in Europe was protected.
“As Europe migrates away from Russian gas, Norway becomes even more of Europe’s critical infrastructure,” he said.
“Norway’s gas amounts for around 40% of European gas. It’s not just in the interests of Britain and Norway, it is in the interests of Europe to make sure those infrastructures and energy supplies are not vulnerable to a Russia who is getting more and more aggressive.”
Mr Gram said the UK had a “long and proud history of international leadership in crisis” and there was an “increased need for increased military cooperation between allies” in the current climate.
“It is important that democracies like the UK and Norway stand together when the rules based international order is under pressure,” he said.
