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Europe Should Double Down on Ukraine Support, Not Act as Neutral Mediator in Peace Talks, Norway FM Says
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Europe should not position itself as a neutral mediator in potential negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to end the war, Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide has warned in an interview with The Telegraph on May 28.
He stated that European countries risk confusing their responsibilities if they attempt to act as impartial brokers in peace talks, contrasting such an approach with efforts by US President Donald Trump to present himself as a neutral intermediary.
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Barth Eide also claimed that Europe should instead focus on reinforcing its political and military backing for Ukraine, rather than taking on a mediation role.
“There are two different roles one could envisage. One is the voice of Europe in these talks, this is a good idea. The other one is an alternative mediator, I think this is less of a good idea,” he said. “Being a supporter of Ukraine is a good and heroic role. A mediator can also be a heroic role, but it’s a different role.”
Barth Eide stressed that European governments should not interpret recent developments on the battlefield as a reason to scale back assistance to Ukraine. Instead, he argued, current conditions make increased support even more necessary.
“You know this is exactly the right moment to double down on support and making sure not only in quantity but also in quality,” he said.
He added that assessments from Ukrainian officials, supported by independent observations, suggest a modest shift in battlefield dynamics.
“What our Ukrainian colleagues now are saying quite convincingly, and is backed up by what we independently see, is that yes, there’s a slight battlefield advantage and the Russian onslaught has been checked.”
The development comes, as Norway scrambled F-35 fighter jets on a Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) mission to intercept a Russian military aircraft that was approaching its airspace.
According to Defense Blog, the Norwegian Air Force launched the jets from Evenes Air Station after an unidentified contact was detected. The mission lasted around two hours and led to the identification of a Russian Ilyushin Il-38 maritime patrol aircraft.
Norwegian Air Force spokesperson Major Stian Roen confirmed the operation, saying: “F-35s were sent out on a completely normal QRA mission. It is standard procedure that the aircraft take off as quickly as possible in such situations.”
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At the same time, Ukraine is set to manufacture several thousand medium-range strike drones in Norway under its first joint unmanned aerial vehicle production program.
The initiative will be financed by Norway through additional funding beyond the previously approved $7 billion in defense assistance earmarked for Ukraine in 2026. All drones produced under the scheme are expected to be delivered directly to Ukraine’s Defense Forces.
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