Norway’s top general says NATO has two to three years to prepare for confrontation with Russia
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The commander of the Norwegian Armed Forces stated that Russia’s positions near Norway’s borders have remained largely unchanged over the past year, enabling Oslo to meet NATO’s requirements for bolstering defense capabilities.
General Eirik Kristoffersen’s comments are the latest in a series of warnings from Western leaders and defence officials about the threat from Moscow and the alliance’s current lack of preparedness.
“We can meet those plans and decisions with substance in the coming years, but we need to accelerate our efforts. We must achieve this within two to three years to ensure we are prepared for any potential scenarios,” he emphasized.
Several European NATO countries have expressed concerns about the risk of Russian aggression in the near future.
For instance, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius remarked in January that the Alliance should be ready for a possible Russian attack on a NATO country within the next 5-8 years.
Polish President Andrzej Duda is also concerned that Russia may soon have the military capability to attack NATO as early as 2026-27.
Norway has been a member of NATO since its foundation in 1949.
The Scandinavian nation has increased its defence spending since the beginning of the war in Ukraine and aims to meet the 2% of GDP threshold in 2024, with a further increase of 2.7% of GDP targeted by 2030.
Photo: General Eirik Kristoffersen (R) courtesy of Forsvarets
