Costa and Støre sitting around a round table.
Statsminister Jonas Gahr Støre møtte torsdag presidenten for Det europeiske råd, António Costa i Oslo. Credit: Martin Lerberg Fossum / Office of the Prime Minister

As delivered

Well, first of all, Mr. President, António, it is a great pleasure for me to receive you here in Norway. We have this ‘modest’ view of ourselves that we are – at best – ‘the number 28’, because you are 27, and you have great responsibilities. But the fact that you are coming is, I think, an expression of close partnership, which has historic roots, but also of how we now face some new challenges and opportunities for Europe, where we’ll cooperate very closely.

Today, we have had the opportunity to exchange views on Ukraine, on which we have great collaboration, on how to support the brave fight of Ukrainians defending their country.

We have been discussing topical issues in Europe today – economic security, how the Internal Market – of which Norway is a part – can be taken forward, also from our perspective, and the European Economic Area – to reflect the ambitions of competitiveness – and how we can reach the goals of the Internal Market, and how we can work on economic security, in a world which has greater challenges related to value chains and economic interdependence. We are closely intertwined on that.

Also – on security, where Norway and the European Union last year agreed on a partnership on security policy. Norway is deepening our relations with key EU countries close to us; Germany last week, with France we are working on now, and a similar partnership with Poland. And in Northern Europe, including with the United Kingdom, we are working on new approaches to reflect the security environment, which is really challenging.

We have exchanged views on the Arctic. The European Union will develop a new Arctic strategy, and we have been invited to contribute to that strategy – and we will really be available for that. And we have also discussed the Middle East, transatlantic relations, and a whole range of issues.

And – on the rest of your program; you will be visiting Ullevaal Sykehus, the hospital, to see what we do in the medical field to support Ukrainian soldiers who come here for treatment. And you will also be visiting a part of our most advanced research on defense capabilities.

And this is something we do with our closest partners. You are one of our closest partners, perhaps the closest partner. So – welcome! It is very good to see you in Norway.