TDespite the skepticism of Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), Finland is pushing for an EU entry ban for Russian tourists. “Russian citizens did not start the war, but at the same time we have to be clear that they support the war,” said Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin on Monday evening at a summit of the heads of government of the five Nordic countries with Scholz in Oslo. “I don’t think it’s right that Russian citizens can enter the EU, the Schengen area and go sightseeing as tourists while Russia is killing people in Ukraine.”
Marin received support from her Danish colleague Mette Frederiksen. Scholz, on the other hand, stuck to his rejection of a general entry ban and referred, among other things, to Russian citizens who are fleeing Putin’s regime. “All the decisions we make should not make it more complicated for them to seek freedom and leave the country to escape the dictatorship in Russia,” he said. “It’s not the Russian people’s war, it’s Putin’s war.”
Finland demands discussion in the European Council
So far, people from the political and economic leadership of Russia have been banned from entering the EU. In addition to Marin, the Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas also spoke out in favor of an extension last week. In Oslo, Marin called for a discussion about this in the European Council. Frederiksen expressed understanding for the position. “I find it understandable that some Europeans and perhaps especially some Ukrainians find it a little strange that Russia has attacked a European country and at the same time we are receiving tourists from this country that has attacked another country,” said the social democrat. “I think we should discuss that.”
Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson advocated joint EU action on this issue, but neither did Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.
Closer military cooperation with Norway
Norway wants to expand arms cooperation with Germany. Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said on Monday after the meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Oslo that they had relied heavily on German technology for decades and were interested in further cooperation, for example on submarines. He had previously emphasized that all Scandinavian countries were looking for closer military cooperation with Germany, which was the northern states’ most important partner. Scholz also referred to joint armaments projects. Both mentioned that there was also close coordination on military aid to Ukraine.
Gas deliveries cannot be increased
Scholz agreed with the Norwegian Prime Minister on even closer cooperation in the energy sector. The Chancellor acknowledged the importance of Norwegian gas supplies on the way out of dependence on Russian natural gas. “I am very happy that in Norway we have a secure, democratic and reliable partner in the energy supply of Germany and Europe,” he said. They now want to work even more closely together in the field of renewable energies.
Norway has been Germany’s most important gas supplier since Russian gas supplies were cut back drastically in mid-June. Støre assured Germany of further support. “Norway strives to be a stable gas supplier for Germany,” he said.
However, the country currently has no way of expanding its gas supplies to Germany and Europe. “Norway delivers at most what we can deliver,” said Støre on Monday. Production had increased by almost ten percent. It was also not up to the Norwegian government to decide whether production could be safely expanded. “We can’t determine politically, we just do more.” This is a company decision. For higher production, new gas deposits would have to be tapped.
The EU imports around 20 percent of its gas from Norway. In Germany, the share of Norwegian natural gas is now around 30 percent. The country has thus overtaken Russia as the most important supplier country. Only about 20 percent of the promised volume is currently coming from Russia via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline.
