US still committed to European defence, Norway defence minister says

By Gwladys Fouche

OSLO (Reuters) - Norway's defence minister said he believes the United States remains committed to Europe's defence but the continent must take a bigger share of the costs of defending itself if Washington is going to live up to its security commitments.

American support for European defence has been a question mark recently as U.S. President Donald Trump has said NATO countries must hike defence spending to 5% of GDP, from a 2% goal presently, and said the U.S. may not defend those lagging. 

His position on Ukraine as its struggles against the Russian invasion is also a concern.

But Norway, a founding member of NATO, say U.S. support to Europe remains steadfast. 

"We are not experiencing that U.S. (support) is collapsing," Tore O. Sandvik said in an interview.

"We have had it confirmed from both Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, and from Trump himself to several European leaders, that the U.S. stand behind Article 5," he said, referring to the North Atlantic Treaty article enshrining collective security.       

"For those who fear that the U.S. will not be there when needed, the answer is: 'increased responsibility for your own security'," he said. 

"Europe must take a bigger share of responsibility so that the U.S. lives up to its commitments'."

Sandvik was speaking before news emerged that top Trump administration officials had disparaged Europe in a messaging group chat that accidentally included a journalist.

According to screenshots of the chat reported by The Atlantic magazine, a person identified as Vice President JD Vance wrote "I just hate bailing Europe out again" and a person identified as Hegseth replied: "VP: I fully share your loathing of European free-loading. It's PATHETIC@."

ATLANTIC MONITOR

Norway is the alliance's monitor for the vast 2 million square kilometre area of the North Atlantic used by the Russian Northern Fleet's nuclear submarines.

On land, from its side of the border it shares with Russia, Norway spies on military installations on the Kola Peninsula, including where Russia keeps some of its intercontinental nuclear missiles. 

"We have a good dialogue with the Americans about this collaboration, which is extremely important for them," Sandvik said.

Norway, which reached the 2% spending target in 2024, is planning to double defence spending by 2036 from current levels, taking it above at least the 3% spending threshold. 

Already Oslo knows it will have to spend more. 

"We are two-and-half months in a 12-year long-term defence plan and already we see that we have to revise it," Sandvik said, declining to give specifics.

(Reporting by Gwladys Fouche in Oslo; Editing by Angus MacSwan)