President, Norway
LIVE: Rutte, Norway PM Store speak at NATO headquarters
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte holds a press point with Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store after a meeting in Brussels.
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About Jonas Støre
Jonas Gahr Støre, the Prime Minister of Norway, appeared alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at NATO headquarters on June 11, 2026. During the joint press point, Støre stated that Norway’s defense spending rose to over 3% of GDP in 2025, up from just over 2% the previous year, and he committed to continuing investment increases. He noted that the Norwegian Parliament had unanimously backed a long-term defense plan, which he described as unprecedented, and that Norway is the second-largest supporter of Ukraine in total numbers after Germany. Støre said Norway is strengthening European capability within NATO and deepening bilateral defense cooperation, including agreements with the United Kingdom for frigates, Germany for submarines, and France, as well as working with Poland, the Netherlands, and Canada. He described the United States as Norway’s most important ally due to the high north’s proximity to Russia, and he emphasized that the alliance’s collective defense ensures mutual security. On May 18, 2026, Støre held a joint press meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Støre said the two countries were elevating their relationship to a green strategic partnership, focusing on knowledge, resources, and ambitions for the green transition. He announced a memorandum of understanding on developing high-tech health services, digital health, and artificial intelligence research. Støre noted that trade between India and Norway had doubled over the past decade and that a free trade agreement between the EFTA countries and India had been signed, which he called one of the most important trade agreements Norway has ever signed. He stated that it is important to stand together for a rules-based order and to oppose the weaponization of diplomacy, trade, and technology.
Transcript (11 segments)
✨ AI-enhanced transcript with speaker attribution
M
Mark Rutte5:46
Well, good afternoon Prime Minister Støre, dear Jonas, welcome back to NATO and it's always a pleasure to see you. We last met in March before I traveled to the Norwegian Arctic during exercise Cold Response. There, more than 30,000 personnel from 14 allies including 4,000 US troops trained together in demanding conditions above the Arctic circle, demonstrating our ability to work together through NATO to defend every part of our territory. Exercises are only one example of Norway's important role in our alliance and your longstanding commitment to NATO's collective defense. Norway has highly capable armed forces and Norwegian personnel serve in NATO activities across all domains. You contribute to NATO's forward land forces in Lithuania and I know you will be supporting forward land forces in Finland as well, which was established just a few days ago. Norwegian aircraft regularly support NATO's air policing missions across the alliance and have helped safeguard Polish airspace, protecting key supply lines to Ukraine. The Arctic and High North are of growing strategic importance to our security. Norway's expertise and leadership are essential to NATO's posture in the region. Norway's core defense spending rose to over 3% of GDP in 2025, up from just over 2% in the previous year. This is truly impressive and exactly what we need to see across the alliance. I welcome your commitment to continue increasing investment in the coming years. Next week, in this building, defense ministers will meet to finalize preparations for our upcoming summit in Ankara. This includes reviewing progress on increasing investment in defense, meeting our ambitious capability targets, and ensuring that our plans and policies are continually adapted to support our deterrence and defense. In Ankara, allies will also demonstrate how we are strengthening defense industrial production on both sides of the Atlantic and building a stronger, fairer, and more capable NATO. Of course, we cannot think about our own security without attention to Ukraine. In Ankara, we will showcase our support so that responsibility is more fairly shared by all. Last week, I was with NATO ambassadors for a historic NATO-Ukraine Council meeting in Kyiv. There we sent a strong message of support to Ukraine. Norway is one of the largest contributors to the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, helping deliver urgently needed weapons to Ukraine. You are a leading contributor to this initiative, including your most recent additional contribution of over 300 million US dollars. I welcome the agreement between Norway and Ukraine to deepen defense and security cooperation, including support for the production of drones. This will help strengthen Ukraine's ability to defend itself and sustain its fight against Russian aggression. Prime Minister Støre, dear Jonas, from the High North to the Eastern flank, Norway makes the alliance stronger. Thank you for your leadership, support to Ukraine, and unwavering commitment to our transatlantic alliance.
J
Jonas Støre10:03
Thank you so much, Secretary General. Thank you, Mark. Thank you so much. Let me... you got an insight into what this means. An experienced European prime minister, but still you got with your own eyes to see some of the capabilities, and you were back at Cold Response, which was the biggest NATO exercise so far this year, this time coordinated with Finland, which is translating a new reality in the north. I'm very happy to be here a few weeks before Ankara. We are following that with great interest and attention. You refer to Norwegian budget spending. Last week I was able to salute the fact that the Norwegian parliament unanimously backed a long-term defense plan, and that is something we've never had before. We have previously also been able to gather all political parties behind the Ukraine package, which is now the second; we are second to Germany in supporting Ukraine in total numbers. So per capita, I think we are doing quite well. But again, the fact that it is support across the board, so whoever will be responsible in Norwegian governments in the years to come, they have this basis. And I think that's important. We are basically making a major reshuffle of all our defense, and we will live up to the challenges. My second point is that increasing... strengthen NATO capability, strengthen regional plans. All Nordic countries are now assembled in the command structure in Norfolk, Virginia, and we are getting a new structure which reflects modern realities. We are also taking greater European responsibility, and I hear people with the current American administration: Europe must do more. But this issue predates the current administration, and now it's happening. From the Norwegian side, I can tell you that we emphasize strengthening Europe's capability by strengthening that capability inside NATO, and we do it also by deepening our bilateral cooperation with our European partners. The US is Norway's most important ally because of the special circumstances in the High North, living next to Russia. But we have deepened with a modern defense agreement with the United Kingdom, from whom we will buy modern frigates. We are deepening with Germany, from whom we will buy modern submarines. And last week, I signed an agreement with France on defense, and we are working with Poland, the Netherlands, and Canada to do the same. So this is about updating the European capability. Finally, on Ukraine, we have to be steadfast supporters of Ukraine's ability to defend itself. I was with President Zelenskyy days ago in Tallinn. He is at a better place, but it is a place nobody would like to be because it is under constant attack on the frontline, taking amounts of lives, and also living through the nightly and daily attacks by missiles and drones from Russia. So we have to support Ukraine because this is about fairness and principles, but it is also about Europe's ability to uphold standards for how we live together. You cannot seize territory from another country like Russia is aiming to do, and that is why NATO coordination is so important. You mentioned, Mark, these packages for Ukraine. Norway has been a supporter of that, and going into Ankara, we will have to also encourage other allies to stand up to that because this is what is going to make Ukraine able to withstand that test. So thank you for receiving me. I look forward to going into our talks.
M
Mark Rutte14:22
Absolutely. Thank you so much. We have a very limited amount of time. We take as many questions as we can. Start with NRK.
R
Reporter14:34
Good afternoon from Norwegian Broadcasting, NRK. I go directly to the question most Norwegians are wondering most days: if there is an attack on Norway, a war against Norway, can we still trust that NATO and the US will assist us? And I would like answers especially about the US.
M
Mark Rutte14:53
Yes, very clear. And the answer is yes. The United States remains fully committed to NATO. We see that commitment every day all over the alliance with US troops in Europe, US leadership within the alliance, and US contributions to our collective defense. Of course, commitment is always measured by actions. So let me get to the actions. The United States continues to demonstrate in practical terms its commitment to NATO every day. We see men and women from the US serve alongside allies from the Black Sea to the High North. For example, as we speak, US and other allied forces are participating in Baltops, a US-led maritime exercise in the Baltic Sea. They are taking part in Ramstein Flag, NATO's largest air exercise this year, which stretches from the High North to Southern Europe and includes advanced US air capabilities including F-35s. Earlier this year, the US led Exercise Arrow 26 across eight allied countries in the High North and the Baltic. This is an exercise designed to demonstrate the ability of US forces to reinforce and defend NATO territory. And earlier this year, as I said, more than 4,000 US troops participated in Cold Response in Norway and Finland. I visited the exercise myself. I saw firsthand the continued US commitment to our collective defense. So the short answer to your question is yes.
R
Reporter16:34
Hi, Mark from Associated Press. Good morning. UK Defense Minister John Healey just resigned over a disagreement about defense spending from the United Kingdom.
M
Mark Rutte16:51
We are seeing all over the alliance countries really stepping up. The UK last year increased defense spending. I had not heard the announcement about John Healey, whom I respect very much, so I have to accept your assessment that it happened, but for me it's new. But more generally speaking, what we are seeing all over the alliance is countries increasing their defense investments. The task of government in the end is keeping the country safe. Making that defense strong and having a strong economy are the two pillars: our deterrence and defense, and a strong economy which sustains the country and all the jobs and people in it, while at the same time making that country as safe as possible.
R
Reporter17:45
Aftenposten. Yesterday, a poll found that only 11% of Europeans view the US as an ally, and majorities in many European countries doubt that the US will actually defend us if attacked. So how will you and NATO address this breach of confidence?
M
Mark Rutte18:04
By pointing to the facts, as I discussed with your colleague. The facts are that the US is not only verbally committed to NATO but also in practice. We see this, and I just listed all these examples where the US is heavily participating in joint exercises and is leading those exercises with substantial contributions. We have over 80,000 US troops in Europe. We have the nuclear umbrella as our ultimate guarantee of freedom in Europe. Of course, I read those polls. But let me then give you the facts: the facts are that the US is here. And this Prime Minister made it extremely clear when he visited the White House, and I always repeat this. He said the defense of the US mainland starts in Europe; it starts particularly in Norway. And you pointed out that there are huge nuclear submarines from Russia on the other side of the border. You have that historic border between NATO and Russia. Before Finland and Sweden joined, this was the only real border we had until the late 80s, and with Finland joining, of course we have a much longer border. But what Jonas Støre showed to the American president is that these nuclear submarines are not there to attack Norway; they are there to attack the mainland of the United States. The fact that we are together in NATO, with the US keeping Europe safe and Europe keeping the United States safe, jointly ensures that one billion people are safe. I think the best example of that was the visit of your Prime Minister to the White House. I'm not sure you are for Norway? Yes. Yes. Then it is also your Prime Minister visiting the White House. I think it was last year in April, and it was the best demonstration of how we are interconnected in this alliance. Thank you.
J
Jonas Støre19:53
Can I add to Aftenposten that when you enter this building, you see all the flags. We are 32 democracies. Governments shift, and I think you know this alliance has sustained since 1949 through a lot of political turmoil because elections bring in new administrations. But there is a mainstay in terms of respecting the obligations. And I have to say, based on what is happening in the High North, if anything during the last year, we are working more closely with the United States on precisely what the Secretary General is saying: maintaining a High North with low tension, the ability to observe and follow and track. That is the basis we bring into Ankara in a month.
M
Mark Rutte20:44
Thank you. That's all we have time for today. Thank you so much. Thank you.