Lloyd J. Austin III Secretary of Defence | Official website
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III hosted Norwegian Minister of Defence Bjørn Arild Gram at the Pentagon, where they discussed various aspects of the bilateral defense relationship between the United States and Norway. Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder provided a readout of the meeting.
During the meeting, Secretary Austin thanked Minister Gram for Norway's commitment to long-term assistance in developing Ukraine's capabilities. The two officials exchanged views on ensuring continued military assistance to Ukraine both bilaterally and through the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and NATO.
Minister Gram shared details about Norway's Long-Term Plan, which includes a significant increase in defense spending. Secretary Austin commended Norway's commitment to reaching two percent of Gross Domestic Product spending on defense this year.
The leaders also discussed the conclusion of the recent Nordic Response exercise, part of NATO's Steadfast Defender exercise, hosted by Norway, Sweden, and Finland. They explored opportunities to deepen and broaden bilateral defense cooperation, including additional agreed facilities and areas for U.S. access in Norway under the Supplemental Defense Cooperation Agreement.
Both officials expressed agreement on the importance of ensuring the Indo-Pacific region remains free and open, highlighting the shared commitment to regional security and stability.
