Jens Stoltenberg: “Russia will not just disappear”

Most powerful Norwegian in the world – “Verdens Mertiest Nordmann” -, as called Norwegian media Jens Stoltenberg Gladly at the head of NATO during his ten years. Today, a good year after his farewell as head of the alliance, the 66-year-old remains an influential man. According to surveys, his popularity has just saved the re -election, especially among the Norwegians, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. Stoltenberg has been finance minister in his cabinet since February.

Stoltenberg is also in demand internationally. The Munich Security Conference made him its chairman – and is patiently waiting for him to find time to start the new office. And also Donald Trump Don’t let the contact tear off.

Minister, on Friday next week it will be in Oslo announced who should be honored with the Nobel Peace Prize 2025. Are you concerned about this day?
I look forward to the announcement of the award winner by the Norwegian Nobel Prize Committee. Until then I don’t know who will get the price.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed the price. Norwegian media report that he even spoke to the topic personally. Fear that he could Norway Face when it is disappointed?
The Nobel Prize Committee is independent. The Norwegian government has no influence on the award. I am confident that the US government is aware of how the decision to award the peace price is made.

In the new book about your time as NATO-Id boss quit Trump’s former national security advisor John Bolton: “Don’t discuss with Donald Trump.” Was that her motto too?
Three things were important for me in dealing with Donald Trump. First, actively seek the exchange. When he got into office, some believed that it was better to mention Trump as little as possible towards NATO so as not to trigger negative reactions. I did the opposite. Second, increase defense spending. This is correct, regardless of the question of whether the United States continues to be NATO. And thirdly: Trump show that a strong NATO is in the interests of the United States.

At the NATO summit in summer 2018, Trump was about to explain the United States’ leak from NATO. They managed to appease him at the last minute. How important is personal chemistry? And why, you believe, Trump is better with Friedrich Merz today than with Angela Merkel at that time?
I do not want to speculate about questions of personal chemistry. It is important that there has been a significant change in German defense spending since then. The crucial year was 2022 when Germany increased defense spending and the Nord Stream project ended. I was of the same view in both points as Trump. The Europeans had to spend more for defense. And they made blackmails by buying so much gas from Russia. Since then, things have changed significantly in Germany. That is the reason for the better relationship between the United States and Germany.

These days, Russian drones violate air space over Europe almost every day. Europeans have no effective means against it and are also disagreed with the question of how to react. Putin can be satisfied, right?
We should treat these airspace injuries individually because they are not all the same. It was right to shoot drones over Poland. But that is obviously not always the right answer. The key is to react as decided as it is prudent. The incidents underline how necessary our increased presence is in the eastern part of the alliance. In Poland, Polish F-16 fighting jets, Dutch F-35, German Patriot batteries and Italian Awacs enlighteners together protected the airspace.

Even after more than three years of drone war in Ukraine, the European NATO partners lack an effective concept for drone defense. During the EU summit in Copenhagen, drone specialists came from Ukraine to protect the airspace. A reason for despair or confidence?
The Ukrainians are now building three to four million drones a year. You have technological knowledge and skills in this field like hardly any other country in the world. I recently attended a training center for Ukrainian soldiers here in Norway. What happened there was remarkable: the Ukrainian officers taught the Norwegian trainers in the drone war. This shows: We are in a partnership with Ukraine. We help you, you help us. And it also shows how important it is for us that Ukraine asserts itself on the battlefield.

Sweden’s Foreign Minister calls the Ukraine “Europe’s sword”. Will this perspective survive the winter if Russia again paralyzes the country’s energy supply?
This winter could be very hard for Ukraine. We must be prepared for the gas infrastructure for heavy air strikes. But that doesn’t change the strong skills of Ukraine when it comes to waging drone war against Russia.

Are you further of the opinion that one day Ukraine should be a member of NATO?
Yes. But I am aware that many in NATO are against it. Therefore, we have to look for the second best solutions to ensure the security of Ukraine. That means: to arm the country in such a way that it is able to defend itself with our support.

What period do we speak about?
How a war runs is never predictable. Wars tend to take much longer than everyone believes at the beginning. That is why I hold back with predictions about the time of the war end. But I am convinced that the faster war will end, the more we support Ukraine militarily. We cannot change Putin’s worldview. What we can change is his calculation. We can show him that the price he has to pay for the control of Ukraine is too high. Therefore, I welcome Germany to be the European country today that is doing the most here. Germany is at the forefront of supporting Ukraine. I am grateful for that.

During the NATO summit in July 2018, when the transatlantic cohesion was on the brink, they were also personally in a dramatic situation. Her father was dying, a former Foreign Minister of Norway. They came to Oslo just in time to speak to him again. They said that he gave them advice for life. “You have to talk to the Russians.” Is that still valid for you?
I have always campaigned for dialogue with Russia. Whether at the beginning of my time as NATO general secretary. Or before that when I was Norwegian Prime Minister. At that time I met Putin for the first time and with Russia we reached an agreement on our sea boundaries in the Barentssee, about fishing rights and many other things.

These were different times. Now Russia is a hybrid war against NATO.
Since the Russian full invasion of Ukraine, the basis for a meaningful dialogue has been missing. But of course we have to find it back at some point, after all, Russia will not disappear. It will remain our neighbor. Based on military strength and credible deterrence, this can succeed. Ukraine has to speak to Russia to end this war with an agreement. President Selenskyj said that he was always ready to meet President Putin, just not in Russia. In addition, at some point we have to create a new system of armor control with Russia – and also with China. Otherwise there is a risk of a new nuclear arms. That would be very dangerous. And extremely expensive.