Britain and Norway begin talks on Arctic defence treaty

The United Kingdom and Norway commenced negotiations on Thursday for a defence agreement designed to counter the perceived threat from Russia in the Arctic.

UK Defence Secretary John Healey met with his Norwegian counterpart, Tore Sandvik, at the Norwegian Joint Headquarters, a fortress tunneled deep into a mountain near the northern town of Bodø, just above the Arctic Circle.

The defence agreement envisions closer collaboration between the armed forces of both countries, including the protection of submarine cables against sabotage.

In a statement, Healey said, “Norway remains one of the UK’s most important allies. We will create a new era of defence partnership that will bring us closer than ever as we tackle growing threats, strengthen NATO, and enhance our security in the High North.”

He added that the UK was determined to “play a leadership role” in European security, “so that we can underpin the foundations of our own security and prosperity, and show our adversaries that we are united in our determination to protect our interests.”

The US has argued that European NATO members should increase their defence spending, while Britain is working to allocate 2.5% of its GDP to military capabilities.

On Tuesday, Healey announced that the Ministry of Defence would undertake “the biggest defence overhaul in 50 years” to ensure it was prepared for war.

On Wednesday, Healey met with Norwegian soldiers patrolling the Russian border and expressed his strong interest in conscription, a practice not currently implemented in the UK.

Healey’s visit followed reports of a Russian spy ship allegedly entering UK waters in January and last November.

The Defence Secretary informed Parliament last month that the ship was “used to gather intelligence and map the UK’s critical underwater infrastructure” before sailing into the North Sea.