The statement comes after French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium and Greece agreed to engage with France on the country’s nuclear deterrent.
Macron said France will set up “exchange bodies at the political level” in the coming days with the seven nations. Cooperation will include allowing European allies into French “strategic locations,” joint exercises and, ultimately, potentially deploying French nuclear-capable Rafale fighter jets in other countries on a temporary basis.
Eide said nuclear talks would be part of negotiations on a strategic defense agreement with France. He said Norway — one of Europe’s most U.S.-friendly countries — would also cooperate more closely with other countries, including the U.K., Germany, the Netherlands and Poland.
“This is part of our hedging strategy,” he said.