Deterrence until disarmament

Historically, Norway has had a somewhat complex view of nuclear weapons in NATO and thus national security. While Norway has never seriously challenged the role of nuclear weapons as NATO’s, and thus Norway’s, ultimate deterrence and defense instrument, from 1957 Norway has explicitly held that no nuclear weapons may be present in Norway in peacetime. 

Today, Norway is a firm supporter of the NATO consensus line. Domestic political strife over the nuclear ban treaty led to the 2018 publication of a government study that set out Norwegian policy. It confirmed Norway’s support for security through deterrence, including nuclear deterrence, balanced by a continued, active pursuit of nuclear disarmament with the ultimate aim of “a world without nuclear weapons.”