Norway’s Foreign Minister Huitfeldt fears situation in Ukraine will deteriorate

Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt (AP) is concerned about Russia’s build-up of forces in south-eastern Ukraine.

“It may get worse. We must be prepared for that,” Huitfeldt told NTB by phone.

She fears a worsening of the fighting in the Donbas in the southeast now that Russia has begun to withdraw from the northern parts of Ukraine.

“It does not appear that they are withdrawing. It seems they are regrouping and that there may be a new offensive. When we look at areas that have been liberated, we also see how they have been ravaged, with major consequences for the civilian population. So there are no signs now that it is getting better,” Huitfeldt said.

On Monday, the Foreign Minister was in Luxembourg, where she was invited to an informal lunch meeting with EU foreign ministers, along with Icelandic Foreign Minister Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir, to discuss the war in Ukraine. 

A rare occasion

This is the first time Norway has attended a meeting of EU foreign ministers since Jonas Gahr Støre was invited in the wake of the July 22 terror attacks in 2011.

Norway’s contribution to the energy side of the current challenges was a main topic at the meeting, Huitfeldt said.

At the same time, discussions are underway on how the sanctions can be tightened even more and on how more targeted support can be given to Ukraine.

“It is natural that we do what we can to increase the pressure,” Huitfeldt said.

Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews

Do you have a news tip for Norway Today? We want to hear it. Get in touch at [email protected]