The world’s largest aircraft carrier, the Gerald Ford, called in Oslo, a first for a US ship of its type, in a show of NATO strength at a time of heightened tensions between NATO and Russia over the war in Ukraine.
In the coming days, the ship and its crew will conduct exercises with the Norwegian Armed Forces off the country’s coast, the Norwegian military said.
“This visit is an important signal of the close bilateral relationship between the United States and Norway and confidence in collective defense and deterrence,” Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesman Johnny Carlsen said.
Norwegian media reported that the aircraft carrier will pass north of the Arctic Circle. Carlsen declined to comment on this information.
The Russian Embassy in Oslo condemned the visit to the aircraft carrier.
“While Oslo recognizes that Russia poses no direct military threat to Norway, such displays of force seem illogical and harmful,” the embassy said on its Facebook page.
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