Norway provides both a model, and a warning, for NATO

The article discusses how Norway serves both as a model and a warning for NATO, particularly in light of President Trump's calls for burden-sharing. The author spent a week in Norway with the Atlantic Council, where Norwegian officials and private sector representatives briefed them on the country's defense plans. Norway, a founding NATO member, sets a high bar for defense contributions, with near-unanimous political support for increased military spending and continued support for Ukraine, contrasting with political instability in other member states like the UK, France, and Germany. However, the author notes that Norway's advantages—such as a small, largely homogenous population, stable politics, and a sovereign wealth fund of over two trillion dollars—are not shared by other NATO members. The piece argues that as NATO looks ahead to the Ankara Summit, the focus should be on underlying challenges affecting each country's ability to confront the new geostrategic environment, rather than just GDP spending percentages. The author contrasts Norway's political consensus on defense with the skepticism of far-right parties in France and Germany, which could challenge increased defense spending targets.