Norway – Conversation between Catherine Colonna and her Norwegian counterpart (May 23, 2023)

On May 23, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna hosted her Norwegian counterpart, Anniken Huitfeldt, in Paris.

During their meeting, they reaffirmed our two countries’ unwavering support for Ukraine in every area, for as long as necessary.

They discussed the challenges of the next informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers on May 31 and June 1 in Oslo, which will play a significant role in preparations for the upcoming Vilnius Summit on July 11 and 12. The Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs emphasized the magnitude of France’s contribution to strengthening the Alliance’s posture on its eastern flank, marked in particular by major commitments in Romania, Poland and the Baltic countries.

During their talks, they lauded the high caliber of cooperation on the green transition and energy security in Europe, which the ministers wish to continue and strengthen. They also discussed security in the far north, the situation in the Middle East and Afghanistan, relations with China, partnerships in space and bilateral cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the area of education.

Q&A

Can you give us the details on Catherine Colonna’s visit to Rome following the cancellation of Antonio Tajani’s trip to Paris in early May? Has there been a shift in the French position on what needs be done to deal with the arrival of migrants in Europe via the Mediterranean, who are landing primarily in Italy, Spain and Greece?

We refer you to the minister’s remarks this morning on France 2.

According to the Wall Street Journal, as a decision hasn’t yet been taken on Ukraine’s NATO membership, the Western countries are discussing security guarantees for Kyiv. The United States as well as France, Germany and the United Kingdom could act as guarantor states to protect Ukrainian security.

Does such a guarantee plan for Ukraine exist? What kind of guarantees would it include? Can such a plan be considered while the conflict in Ukraine is ongoing?

France and its partners are considering the best way to provide long-term support to Ukraine in every area. France is prepared to sign agreements with Ukraine providing it with security guarantees that will help it defend itself in the long term and prevent any future aggressions, as our leaders stated in the joint declaration at the 36th Franco-British summit.