NORWAY’S FOREIGN POLICY PRIORITIES IN THE CONTEXT OF NEW CHALLENGES AND THREATS TO INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29038/2524-2679-2026-01-6-25Keywords:
Norway’s foreign policy priorities, NATO, Arctic region, international security, assistance to UkraineAbstract
The article examines the transformation of the Kingdom of Norway’s foreign and security policy priorities in the context of the changing international secu-rity environment in 2014–2025. Main priorities of Norwegian foreign and security policies are identified, and the institutional and practical mechanisms for their implementation are analysed. It is shown that until 2014 Norway’s foreign policy was characterised by both – active support of NATO and other multi-lateral cooperation, peacekeeping, a mediating role in international conflicts and, as well, by pragmatical cooperation with the Russian Federation in the Northern and Arctic regions. After Russia annexation of Ukrainian Crimea and the growth of her military activities in the Arctic region, following the intensi-fication of geopolitical competition in this region between China, United States and Russia, and the weakening of the influence of international institutions, Norway’s traditional foreign policy priorities were revised. The White Paper 2016–2017 laid the foundation for reorienting foreign policy in the security sphere, enhancing the transatlantic partnership, reinforcing NATO’s role in the collective defense system, promoting defence coordination among the states of Northern Europe, and intensifying Norway’s Arctic policy. It was considered that the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine became a catalyst for the further transformation of Norway's foreign and security policy and the formation of its new priorities, which were declared in the National Security Strategy: strengthening national and allied defence potential, increas-ing society’s resilience to hybrid threats, and ensuring the economic security of the state. An important element of the new security policy was an institu-tionalization of long-term military and financial assistance to Ukraine, which Norway sees as a component of supporting international law and order and as a contribution to strengthening European security. It is concluded that the transformation of Norway’s foreign policy priorities after 2014, and especially after 2022, has reflected a transition from a foreign policy model focused on international cooperation, international mediation and humanitarian activities to a comprehensive model of ensuring national security, in which strengthening the defense potential, allied interaction and ensuring strategic stability in the Arctic region play a key role.
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