Disappointed with Norway: – We will remember who our real friends were
The war rhetoric catches up and Russia continues to build up a massive army on the border with Ukraine.
The United States and several European countries have responded with emergency crisis assistance to the hard-pressed government in Kiev.
But not Norway. This disappoints the Ukrainian ambassador in Oslo, Vyacheslav Jatsiuk.
– Unfortunately, the government in Kiev has not received any offer of further support from Norway, does the military escalation from Russia last ours, or after the new, large Russian mobilization along Ukraine’s borders. This is in sharp contrast to what Norway’s closest allies do, says Jatsiuk to TV 2.
Friends in need
The ambassador lists Canada, Denmark, the United Kingdom, the Baltic countries, the Netherlands and Poland as some examples of countries that have come up with concrete support in recent weeks.
Several of these contributions with weapons assistance, humanitarian material or other financial support, such as Sweden, which on Thursday announced that they provide 50 million kroner to strengthen Ukraine’s defense capability.
Denmark recently committed almost one billion kroner in extraordinary support to Ukraine, and the Danish Foreign Minister has visited Kiev to mark solidarity. Politicians from all over Europe have the same.
However, no Norwegian politicians have visited Ukraine since the crisis with Russia erupted in December, nor are there any such plans, according to the Foreign Ministry.
– We were ready to receive my colleague Dmytro Kuleba earlier this month, and I had hoped to be able to discuss the situation further with him then. Unfortunately, he had to cancel the visit. We will now look at whether we find time to meet on another occasion, says Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt in an e-mail to TV 2.
Unnecessary provocation
The government has made it clear that military assistance to Ukraine is irrelevant, and receives support for this from all parties in the Storting.
The Progress Party’s foreign policy spokesman, Christian Tybring-Gjedde, believes that Norway should also refrain from financial support, for the sake of Russia.
An extraordinary financial contribution in this situation can easily be perceived as an external provocation. Nobody benefits, says Tybring-Gjedde to TV 2.
Tybring-Gjedde is also critical of how NATO, led by the United States, has handled the situation so far.
– I am also surprised by Stoltenberg’s and the United States’ violent verbal attacks and accusations against Russia. One can not ignore at least the United States may have more motives for such attacks, he says.
Requires effort
Conservative defense policy spokesman Hårek Elvenes, on the other hand, believes the government must do more for Ukraine.
– It should be relevant to contribute with humanitarian aid or other civilian support. We expect the government to have humanitarian aid to Ukraine high on its agenda, he tells TV 2.
He receives support from both the Christian People’s Party and the Liberal Party.
– When it comes to civilian assistance, so I expect to support Ukraine in the acute situation when I am, says Liberal Party leader Guri Melby.
The Liberal Party believes that instead of supporting, the government, on the contrary, has cut aid to Ukraine.
– One of the first government did when they came to power was to cut 128 million in support of countries in Central and Eastern Europe as we had proposed, including Ukraine. We warned against it then, and the critical situation clearly shows that the money could have been well spent in other Ukraine well, she says to TV 2.
Rejects criticism
The Foreign Minister tells TV 2 that Norway already provides financial support to Ukraine, and will not love anymore.
– We give a lot of support to Ukraine. In recent years, Norway has supported the reform process in Ukraine with about NOK 200 million a year. That includes humanitarian aid, Huitfeldt said.
However, the Ukrainian ambassador is not satisfied. The problem, according to him, is that much of the money is earmarked for various democracy-building initiatives that do not feel relevant to the population now that war is threatening.
– Many of these projects could have been significantly modernized and refocused, says Jatsiuk to TV 2.
Friends in need
The Christian People’s Party believes that it is now urgent to put in place Norwegian support schemes for Ukraine, not least in view of the suffering of the civilian population.
– What is most urgent is the enormous need for humanitarian support for the population. The country has 1.5 million internally displaced persons and 3.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. Norway should contribute here, says Astrid Byrknes who is deputy representative for Dag Inge Ulsten in the Storting.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs does not agree that Norway has contributed too little to the crisis that has now hit Ukraine, and points out, among other things, the support that has been given through organizations such as the UN and the OSCE.
– Norway is very concerned about Russia’s large-scale and unprovoked build-up of forces on the Crimean peninsula and at the country’s borders, says Huitfeldt.
But moral support alone helps a little in the current situation, says the Ukrainian ambassador, who calls for practical support to keep the country on its feet.
– Ukraine will, of course, remember those who were our real friends in need at this critical time in our history. We will also remember as only expressed understanding and concern, says Vyacheslav Jatsiuk to TV 2.