Ine Eriksen Søreide believes that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was “not surprising”.

Former Foreign Minister and Conservative leader Ine Eriksen Søreide had foreign policy as a topic in her speech at a Conservative Party national meeting.

– What Putin stands for in Ukraine is the basic right of the people to decide their own future. What he feared the most was that this would be contagious. The biggest threats to Putin’s government are democracy and freedom, Sreide said from the pulpit.

– Russia committed war crimes and must be held accountable, said Sreide.

He said there was a clear line between Russia’s previous annexation and what is now happening in Ukraine. Søreide called the invasion “highly unsurprising”.

– This is not a time for understanding, but a time for condemnation. And even if Putin destroys Ukrainian cities, they will be rebuilt. Faith in the Putin regime has been shattered forever.

Believe Norway should look to Europe

– We have to relate to the world as it is, not how we want it to be.

He said the war was exacerbating existing crises, such as food and energy shortages.

– War makes the humanitarian situation worse, says Søreide.

The former foreign minister said that cooperation with NATO and Norway’s defense capabilities should be strengthened.

– There are major political changes in Europe that affect our ability to protect our own interests. We work with the EU because we want to, not because we have to. In a world more volatile than ever, our exclusion has consequences.

Søreide said it was a challenge that security policy issues affecting Norway occur in an arena in which Norway is not involved.

– More and more decisions that concern and influence Norway strongly will be made where Norway does not. It’s not just us on the outside, leaders who influence democracy from within, like Victor Orban, are given the opportunity to decide what happens on our continent.

He said this should lead to discussions about EU membership.

– At the same time we support the courageous struggle of Ukraine in the war with words and weapons, it is Norway’s responsibility to help ensure democracy in Europe.