Current security policy issues, such as the challenges along NATO’s southern and eastern borders were high on the agenda.

During the debate with NATO’s Deputy Secretary-General, Alexander Vershbow, Øyvind Halleraker (Conservative Party), the Head of the Norwegian Delegation, urged NATO to focus more on the High North.

“We are concerned about the signals Putin is sending out by stepping up Russian military activity in the High North. There is a new strategic and security policy scenario in the north that NATO ought to be focussing on,” said Halleraker.

In his reply, NATO’s Deputy Secretary-General Vershbow pointed out that though the spotlight has fallen on NATO’s southern and eastern borders recently, it ought soon to focus on the north as well.

The Delegation from the Storting comprised Sverre Myrli (Labour Party), Hans Olav Syversen (Christian Democratic Party), Christian Tybring-Gjedde (Progress Party), Rigmor Aasrud (Labour Party), Jan Arild Ellingsen (Progress Party) and Øyvind Halleraker (Conservative Party).