Norway has become the eighth country to feature on Moscow’s list of “unfriendly” nations, which restricts the number of local staff its diplomats in Russia can hire. Vladimir Putin established the list of countries “hostile” to Russian diplomatic missions abroad in May 2021. All of the countries featured on the list have expressed support for Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict.
Norway’s addition to the list follows the expulsion of 15 Russian diplomats for alleged spying in April, to which Russia responded by banishing ten Norwegian diplomats.
The U.S. and the Czech Republic, two of the other nations on the “unfriendly” list, have been banned from hiring local employees at their diplomatic missions altogether.
Norway, alongside the European Union, has introduced sanctions against Russia following the invasion of Ukraine, despite not being a member of the bloc. Commenting on her nation’s labelling as “unfriendly” towards Russia, Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt told Reuters:
Today’s situation is the result of Russia’s war on Ukraine. Russia can itself choose to end the war.
As neighbouring countries we both have an interest in functioning diplomatic relations and channels of contact, not least in difficult times.
Another Norwegian official added that Oslo had yet to receive formal notice of its addition to the list and, therefore, had not yet agreed on any potential consequences for the Russian move.
Russia also keeps a much longer list of “unfriendly” nations that impose economic limits on Moscow.
