Underlining that China has a “very problematic narrative” that it is pushing forward on the Russia-Ukraine war and that Beijing could play a more active role to encourage Russia to withdraw from Ukrainian territory, Norway’s Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt on Wednesday said India “will never ever defend might before right”, as it is a “very strong supporter of territorial integrity”. Huitfeldt spoke to The Indian Express on the sidelines of the informal two-day NATO Foreign Ministers' meeting in Oslo, which began Wednesday. Edited excerpts: One of the key topics in this meeting will be the Russia-Ukraine war. Is Norway, which has traditionally played a role of a peacemaker in conflicts across the world — from Israel-Palestine to Sri Lanka — aiming to position itself as a mediator? We only mediate when requested by both parties, and during mediation we only play the role as a facilitator and never put pressure on the parties. We are never ever looking for taking a role in such conflicts or wars. We are only doing this on behalf of invitation from both parties. We play the role of being impartial, and in this war we are not impartial. We are siding with Ukraine and defending their right to defend their own territory. How do you see India’s role as it engages in a diplomatic balancing act, with Russia on one side and the US-led West on the other? I think India is a very strong supporter of territorial integrity, and also defenders of international law. India will never ever defend might before right. So, on that we have a very common stance and I have had very fruitful discussions with my Indian colleagues. I had that during the meeting (on the sidelines of) UNGA (in New York) last autumn and also when I visited New Delhi one year ago. How do you view China’s role, where it is perceived to have taken positions in support of Russia at UNSC and G20? I think China has a very problematic narrative that they are pushing forward. I think China could play an even more active role in order to encourage Russia to withdraw from Ukrainian territory, and that was also my message to the Chinese foreign minister [Qin Gang] when he visited Oslo two weeks ago. But I actually believe China has been able to take down the nuclear threat from Russia, and they can also play a more important role, I believe, in future. As you visited India last year, what are the key and concrete areas of cooperation between India and Norway? [The focus is] very much on business cooperation. We do have a lot of knowledge on energy — green energy and the transition to solar energy. I visited the solar panels on a rooftop in Delhi. So this is an area where we actually can increase our cooperation. Civilian, military support to Ukraine essential: Norway minister Addressing the media at the NATO foreign ministers’ meeting on Wednesday, Norway’s Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt said that a “primary focus for the sessions here in Oslo will be our continued relations with support for Ukraine”. Outlining that longer-term civilian and military support to Ukraine is essential, and that Norway is doing its part, she said Oslo will provide almost 7 billion Euros for a period of five years. On the Russian threat perception, Huitfeldt said, “Russia is weakened conventionally, but the strategic nuclear arsenal is still in place close to our border. We are monitoring military activity in this region closely”. Huitfeldt also said this meeting is the last before the NATO leaders’ summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. The meeting, attended by Foreign Ministers of NATO member-states, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, has Sweden as a special invitee.
