Outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Oslo, Eide met the Norwegian media the day after Trump’s election victory.
– We are confident that we will be able to continue and further develop a close and good relationship with the USA, assured the foreign minister.
In the past, Trump has criticized the defense alliance NATO in harsh terms. He threatened in February by not protecting NATO countries that spend too few resources on their own defence.
Eide believes that Trump feels that he has contributed to changing the alliance – precisely by European countries taking on a greater part of the financial burden of the cooperation.
– The fear that Trump will withdraw from NATO, I believe, is exaggerated, says Eide to NTB.
At the same time, he believes it will be necessary to have “ongoing engagement with Trump and his people” and to remind them of NATO’s importance.
– For us, but not least for them.
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