Norway’s PM says Russia build-up is ‘a sign of weakness’

France24 says Norway’s prime minister, whose country borders Russia and is a founding member of NATO, said on Wednesday he believes it’s “a sign of weakness” that President Vladimir Putin has to express Moscow’s political views by an “extraordinary” military buildup.

Jonas Gahr Støre said in an interview with The Associated Press that he calls it a sign of weakness because it’s at the negotiating table where issues that matter to people should be discussed, not by “that kind of military demonstration,” and by pursuing Russia’s interests where “the weapons will speak.”

He said he thinks Putin’s demand now for guarantees — including that NATO will never admit neighbouring Ukraine and other ex-Soviet nations as members — is a result of the loss of post-Cold War communications channels and dialogue that led to differences being settled through negotiations following after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014.

https://www.euronews.com/2022/01/27/norway-s-pm-says-russia-build-up-is-a-sign-of-weakness