NATO exercise sends warning to Russia, message to members
NATO exercise sends warning to Russia, message to members
BYNESET, Norway A force of NATO warships, planes and marines stormed a beach here in the cold north of Europe on Tuesday to practice the repulsion of an invader, part of the bloc's largest military exercises since the Cold War.
The demonstration of strength is a warning for Norway's neighbor, Russia. It is also a message to the host country and the other 28 members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization: security comes at a price.
The exercises show that the alliance is ready to protect allies like Norway, said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday. "Of course, I also hope that Norway will honor its commitments to NATO and all its NATO allies," he added, referring to the spending goal for NATO members of 2% of gross domestic product.
NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, has tried to emphasize the goal of the bloc so that member states contribute 2% of GDP to the alliance.
Photo:
Jonathan Nackstrand / Agence France-Presse / Getty Images
President Trump has encouraged allies who fail to achieve the goal, which restricts relations as NATO strengthens its military capabilities in response to a more assertive Russia.
Other countries with land borders with Russia (Poland and the Baltic countries) reached the spending target after Russia annexed Crimea and secretly sent its army to eastern Ukraine in 2014. NATO's Western allies have stationed troops in the country. Baltic region, and the alliance is improving its ability to fight there if necessary.
Norway, Germany and other rich European countries have said that reaching the 2% goal of NATO is difficult because the amounts involved are very large.
The size of Norway's economy makes it difficult for the country to increase spending as quickly as smaller or less wealthy allies, Norwegian Defense Minister Frank Bakke-Jensen said in an interview. Norway spends 30% more on defense than in 2013, he said. The country aims to reach the goal of 2% by 2024.
Mr. Stoltenberg says that wealth is not an excuse to fall short.
"In any case, it's the opposite, it's not a problem to be rich," he said in a recent interview. "I agree, 2% of a large GDP is more than 2% of a small GDP. But you must remember that if you assign 2% for defense, you have 98% for something else. And 98% of a large GDP is much more than 98% of a small GDP. "
Some analysts say that getting Norway to spend 2% on defense can be difficult because it is not a priority for many citizens. Unlike the Baltic States and Poland, Norway has not experienced the occupation of Moscow.
"People do not feel particularly threatened by Russia," said Paal Sigurd Hilde, an associate professor at the Norwegian Institute of Defense Studies, part of the education and research arm of the country's armed forces. "They do not consider a conflict probable".
Norway, a country the size of California with just over 5 million people, has a land border of 122 miles with Russia, which has increased strategic bombing and underwater patrols in the area in recent years. Russia has rebuilt its Northern Fleet, which has the most advanced submarines in the country and is located in Severomorsk, a few dozen miles from the Norwegian border. It has also opened new military bases in the Arctic.
The explosions in the water during the military exercise in Norway, which has said, along with Germany and other rich European countries, that reaching the goal of NATO spending of 2% is a challenge.
Photo:
gorm kallestad / epa-efe / rex / Shutterstock
However, Mr. Bakke-Jensen said that Russia "is not a direct military threat to Norway today." Norway is trying to balance relations with Russia, he said, and neighbors cooperate in fishing reserves and have search and rescue agreements.
The defense minister said a concern is that a conflict that starts elsewhere could cause Russia to attack to defend its Northern Fleet.
Norway has responded by reinforcing its defenses. He has received the first six of an order for at least 40 F-35 combat aircraft from
Lockheed Martin
Corp.
Ordered four submarines from Germany
Thyssenkrupp
AG
and ordered five P-8 maritime patrol aircraft to
Boeing
Co.
To track the last Russian submarines.
At a meeting with Mr. Trump at the White House in January, the Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg promoted military purchases that contribute to a US trade surplus with her country. Mr. Trump called Norway "a great customer and a great ally, and a great friend."
Norway is building a mechanized infantry battalion in the border region with Russia. He also invited the US Marines to park in Norway last year on a rotating basis, and the contingent is increasing its number to 700.
French and British marines advance during a joint demonstration as part of military exercises in Byneset near Trondheim, Norway, on Tuesday.
Photo:
Jonathan Nackstrand / Agence France-Presse / Getty Images
The two-week NATO exercises, called Trident Juncture, involve some 50,000 service members, 250 aircraft and 65 NATO ships and the unaligned neighbors of Sweden, Sweden and Finland. The United States has sent around 18,500 service members.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has criticized the exercises, which NATO considers defensive, as part of the growing offensive exercises near Russia's borders.
"The scale of operational and combat training near our borders is expanding, its intensity is growing," he said last week.
Russia announced the missile launch test later this week in an area where the exercises are being conducted. Mr. Stoltenberg said that they should not represent any danger.
-Daniel Michaels in Brussels contributed to this article.
Write to James Marson in james.marson@wsj.com
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