Media: Norway reconsiders EU membership amid US pressure

Some Norwegian politicians have called for renewed discussion on the country’s European Union membership in response to pressure from US President Donald Trump, Politico reports.

“It is not a good time to be out on your own now. Trump changes everything,” an unnamed Norwegian official told the outlet. Former Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide added that EU membership could strengthen national security, noting, “NATO has one set of tools, the EU another.”

“And that is why being a part of the EU is important also in the security aspect for a country like Norway … We have come to a crucial point where EU membership now is important to us in other ways than before,” he emphasised.

Norway has twice rejected EU membership in referendums held in 1972 and 1994. According to Le Figaro in April 2025, 43% of the population opposes joining, while 37% support it.

The renewed debate follows an incident involving Trump, who threatened to take control of Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory. In January 2026, the US president sent a letter to Norway’s Prime Minister, stating he “no longer feels obligated to think solely about peace” and accusing Oslo of failing to award him the Nobel Peace Prize. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre emphasised that Norway cannot influence the decisions of the Nobel Committee.

By Jeyhun Aghazada