Anniken Huitfeldt, the Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Norway, noted that it is important for Norway and Russia to maintain contacts because they are neighbors and in order to avoid misunderstandings or unintentional escalation in the Arctic.

“We cannot change our geography. Russia is Norway’s neighbor.

We need to maintain some contact to minimize the risk of misunderstandings and unintentional escalation in the Arctic,” Huitfeldt told delegates at the Arctic Frontiers Conference 2023 in Tromso.

“The situation in the north is currently stable. Our bilateral cooperation with Russia has been reduced to a minimum. Long-term joint activities have been put on hold,” she added.