The US sent the world's largest aircraft carrier to Oslo, Russia immediately spoke up

The US aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford in Norway on May 24. Photo: Reuters

This is the first time a US ship has come to this sea to participate in exercises with a NATO member country, to show off force in the context of rising tensions between this alliance and Moscow due to the conflict in Ukraine.

The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and its crew will conduct training exercises with Norwegian armed forces along the country's coast in the coming days, the Norwegian military said.

“This visit is an important signal of the close bilateral relationship between the United States and Norway, and a signal of the credibility of collective defense and deterrence,” said Jonny Karlsen, a spokesman for the Norwegian Joint Headquarters, the country’s military’s operational command center.

Norwegian media reported that the US aircraft carrier will move north of the Arctic Circle, but Mr. Karlsen refused to comment on this information.

The Russian Embassy in Oslo condemned the aircraft carrier’s arrival in Oslo, stating in a Facebook post: “There is no problem in the North (Arctic) that requires a military solution, nor is there any topic that requires outside intervention.”

“Given that it was acknowledged in Oslo that Russia poses no direct military threat to Norway, such demonstrations of force seem illogical and harmful,” the statement added.

Norway is a NATO member that shares a border with Russia in the Arctic and last year became Europe's largest gas supplier after supplies from Russia fell.

The Norwegian military and NATO allies have been patrolling around offshore oil and gas platforms since last fall, following explosions on the Nord Stream pipeline in the Baltic Sea.

Hoang Bach