Norway proposes increased intelligence funding to monitor Russia

The Norwegian government has proposed a significant increase in funding for its intelligence services in the 2027 draft budget to enhance surveillance of neighboring Russia. The proposal includes an increase of approximately 400 million kroner (over 37 million euros) for the Norwegian Intelligence Service and 250 million kroner (23.3 million euros) for domestic intelligence.

Defense Minister Tore Sandvik emphasized the necessity of having stable and lasting capacities to assess threats and provide timely warnings. Norwegian Finance Minister and former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg noted that Norway plans to allocate 3.4 percent of its GDP to defense in 2027, moving closer to the NATO target of 3.5 percent by 2035.

Norway shares a 198-kilometer Arctic land border with Russia and is considered the ‘eyes and ears’ of NATO in the Far North due to its proximity to the Kola Peninsula, where a significant portion of Russia’s nuclear arsenal is stationed. As the government lacks a parliamentary majority, the proposal may require support from multiple parties and could face amendments.