Defense Secretary James N. Mattis met with Norwegian Defense Minister Frank Bakke-Jensen today at the Pentagon to reaffirm the long-standing defense relationship between the United States and Norway.
In a statement summarizing the meeting, chief Pentagon spokesperson Dana W. White said Mattis encouraged the minister to continue increasing Norway's defense spending.
Gratitude for Norway’s Commitment
Mattis thanked the defense minister for Norway’s commitment to international security, White said, including NATO's Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan and the campaign to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
“He also recognized Norway’s security leadership in the Nordic-Baltic region and the North Atlantic,” she added.
The secretary thanked the minister for improving interoperability and strengthening defense cooperation between Norway and the United States, White said.