The United Kingdom and Norway will sign a defense pact to create a combined fleet of warships to track Russian submarines in the North Atlantic, the British Ministry of Defense announced today.
According to the British ministry, the agreement aims to protect critical submarine cables, which are under increasing threat from Moscow, with a 30% increase in the number of Russian vessels seen in British waters having been detected in the last two years.
The warships will monitor Russian naval movements in the waters between Greenland, Iceland and the United Kingdom, defending undersea cables and pipelines crucial to Britain’s communications, electricity and gas networks, the statement added.
The agreement, which will be signed today by the British Defense Ministers, John Healey, and Norwegian, Tore Sandvik, at the English Prime Minister’s official residence, in Downing Street, and also provides for the United Kingdom’s accession to the Norwegian program for the development of unmanned mother ships for mine detection.
“In times of profound global instability, with the detection of more Russian vessels in our waters, we must work with our international partners to protect our national security,” explained British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in a statement.
This agreement with Norway “strengthens our ability to protect our borders and the critical infrastructure that our countries depend on”, he added.
“Through joint naval cooperation in the North Atlantic, we are strengthening security and supporting thousands of jobs in the UK,” he said.
The UK Defense Minister also added that “in this new era of threats and with the increase in Russian activity in the North Atlantic, strength lies in ‘strong alliances’”.
“When our critical infrastructure and waters are threatened, we mobilize. For over 75 years, the UK and Norway have closely supported NATO’s northern flank [Organização do Tratado do Atlântico Norte]defending Europe and keeping our citizens safe”, he concluded.