Norwegian National Day Statement by Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken

STATEMENT BY FOREIGN SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN ON NORWAY NATIONAL DAY

Office of the Speaker

The text of the following statement was published by the governments of the United States of America.

Starting text:

Norway’s national holiday

On behalf of the United States of America, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the people of Norway on their celebration of Constitution Day.

As friends, allies and Arctic compatriots, the United States and Norway stand together in pursuit of common goals such as promoting regional security and sustainable, inclusive economic prosperity. We are also joining forces to drive the green transition and jointly address energy needs and the global climate crisis. Last year, our relationship grew even stronger with the opening of the US diplomatic presence post in Tromsø.

As co-founders of NATO, celebrating the Alliance’s 75th anniversary, we have long been bound by our shared values, as defined in our two constitutions. The United States is praising Norway for its plan to meet NATO’s shared commitment to spend at least 2 percent of its gross domestic product on defense this calendar year.

Norway’s leadership in the face of Russia’s aggression toward Ukraine has shown how these guiding principles unite us in the face of authoritarian regimes. The Nansen program remains an exemplary long-term commitment to supporting the people of Ukraine.

On this special day, we reaffirm our commitment to the strong and enduring friendship between our two nations, guided by our shared belief in democracy, freedom and the rule of law.

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