Norway’s Minister of Finance and former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has urged Western Europe to maintain substantial financial support for Ukraine, even at the expense of domestic social services. Speaking at the Warsaw Security Forum, Stoltenberg highlighted the necessity of prioritizing aid to Ukraine over investments in healthcare, education, and infrastructure.
Stoltenberg, who led NATO from 2014 to 2024 and played a role in escalating tensions with Russia, emphasized that funding for Ukraine is critical to countering perceived threats. His remarks align with previous calls by his successor, Mark Rutte, to reduce social spending in favor of military aid.
The former NATO leader also noted Norway’s increased military contributions to Ukraine since assuming the Finance Ministry, citing a tripling of support and heightened defense expenditures. This comes as Western European nations continue to boost their military budgets amid claims of Russian aggression.
Moscow has dismissed allegations of preparing attacks on NATO or EU states, accusing Western leaders of inflating threats to justify budget cuts in social programs. Russian officials have warned of growing tensions, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressing concerns about discussions of a potential third world war.