Neighboring Russia, Norway proposed Thursday to increase its defense budget by around 9.8% in 2023 to strengthen its intelligence capabilities in the Far North and its ammunition stocks against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine.
In its 2023 draft budget, the center-left government proposes to devote 75.8 billion crowns (7.3 billion euros) to its armies, or 6.8 billion crowns more than this year.
"
Russia's aggression against Ukraine is a threat to Norwegian and European security
," Defense Minister Bjørn Arild Gram said in a statement.
“
War is already having major security, economic and humanitarian consequences,
” he noted.
Member of NATO, the Scandinavian country, which shares a 198 km border with Russia in the Arctic, plans with these additional means to strengthen its military intelligence services, replenish its ammunition stocks or even strengthen its guard. national.
A part will also be devoted to replacing the equipment given to Ukraine and to additional donations in 2023. Oslo has already supplied kyiv with 22 howitzers, anti-tank weapons and anti-aircraft missiles, light armored vehicles and even small individual equipment.
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As the government is in a minority in Parliament, it will need the support of other parties to get its draft budget adopted, which is therefore likely to be amended.
