More than 32,000 personnel from 14 Allies taking part, including about 25,000 in Norway and 7,000 in Finland, are taking part in the Cold Response 26 military exercise.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visited Norway on Wednesday, meeting Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre before travelling north to observe Cold Response 26 military, the alliance press service informed.
Rutte went to Bardufoss Air Base and the Setermoen training area, where he held a press conference with Norway’s Defence Minister Tore O. Sandvik and Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide.
Norway is “a key player” for the security of NATO’s northern flank, Rutte said at Setermoen.
Norway has developed specialised military capabilities for “cold-weather operations” as well as “Arctic and also to sub-Arctic conditions”, he added.
Cold Response 26 is taking place mainly in northern Norway and in Finland.
Exercise linked to NATO’s Arctic Sentry activity
Cold Response 26 is one of the Allied activities contributing to Arctic Sentry — described by NATO as an enhanced vigilance activity in the Arctic and the High North — led by Joint Force Command Norfolk, NATO said.
During the trip, Rutte also met senior Norwegian military leaders including Major General Lars Lervik, Chief of the Norwegian Army, and Vice Admiral Rune Andersen, Commander of the Norwegian Joint Headquarters.
“We have seen many examples today of our military readiness,” Rutte said, adding that exercising together helps Allies operate effectively “and to do this together”.
Earlier in Oslo, Rutte told Støre that Norway was “punching above your weight” in areas including defence spending, support for Ukraine, and NATO security on the eastern flank and in the Arctic.
