Emmanuel Macron began a visit and a half visit to Norway on Monday with the intention of strengthening defense ties between the two countries and security in the Arctic, on the eve of an NATO summit, the Elysée announced.
This is the first visit of a French president in Norway since the one made by François Mitterrand in 1984, for 41 years.
The head of state and his wife Brigitte are accompanied by the ministers of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu, the economy Eric Lombard and Europe Benjamin Haddad.
The two countries must sign a strategic association agreement and another on the capture and kidnapping of Carbon, Elysée said.
Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron will be received at the audience by King Harald and his wife Sonja, who will dinner in his honor.
The Strategic Association Agreement aims to “strengthen cooperation already dense” in defense, innovation and energy and ecological transition, Elysée said.
“Strengthen cooperation already dense”
It will include cooperation within NATO, strengthening interoperability between the two armies, joint operations in the north end and support for industrial defense projects.
The French Naval Group manufacturer is a candidate for the delivery of frigates to Norway. The call to tenders is still underway and no announcement will be made in this area during the visit, the Elysée emphasizes.
Remember that the Naval Group expects to sell five to six FDI frigates in the Norwegian Navy. But the French industrialist faces American, British and German competitors. It is about replacing their cold Fridtjof Nansen, ships provided by the Spanish Navantia and who have not satisfied the Norwegian Navy.
A week after his visit to Grenland, Emmanuel Macron will also underline “France’s commitment to the Nordic and Arctic region, especially in terms of security,” added the French presidency.
On June 15, the French president criticized Donald Trump’s desire to have this Autonomous Denmark in his hands and called to strengthen Arctic’s security against Chinese and Russian ambitions on New Sea roads.
On Tuesday morning, Emmanuel Macron will participate in an operational summary on the current operations of the French naval forces in the region aboard the frigate of multiple minimas of Normandy in the port of Oslo.
The trip to Norway, a NATO member country but not from the European Union, will also be “the opportunity to reaffirm the European position against conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East near and a half.”
The French leader will join the NATO summit in The Hague (Netherlands). The 32 countries of the Alliance will seek on Tuesday and Wednesday, under the pressure of Donald Trump and the Russian threat, in an increase in their military expenditure to 5% of their GDP.
Source: BFM TV
