Norway has sent thousands of letters to citizens warning that the military may have to confiscate their homes and vehicles if war breaks out with Russia.
Norwegian military officials said the letters were an advance warning to those with assets that might need to be requisitioned.
The requisition policy covers vehicles, ships, machinery and property, with about 13,500 “preparatory requisitions” issued on Monday, valid for one year.
“The purpose of these requisitions is to ensure that in a wartime situation, the armed forces have access to the resources they need to defend the country,” the Norwegian military said.
The letters won’t come as a shock to most recipients, as two-thirds of them simply update requisition notices from previous years.
The requisition notice comes amid a diplomatic crisis between Europe and Donald Trump, who has threatened to annex Greenland – Jim Watson/AFP
“The importance of being prepared for crises and war has increased dramatically in recent years,” said Anders Janberg, head of the military’s logistics organization.
“Norway is in the most serious security policy situation since the Second World War. Our society must be prepared for a security policy crisis and, in the worst case, war… We are significantly increasing military and civilian preparedness,” he added.
Norway plays a key role in NATO surveillance of the Arctic, where melting ice caps have sparked a scramble for new shipping routes and lucrative raw materials.
The Scandinavian country shares a maritime border with Russia in the northern Arctic region as well as a 123-mile-long land border.
Russia and China are seeking to expand their presence in the Arctic, where they have established old Soviet bases and expanded their nuclear weapons stockpiles on the Kola Peninsula.
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The requisition notices come amid an ongoing diplomatic crisis between the United States and Europe over President Donald Trump’s plan to annex the mineral-rich Arctic island of Greenland.
Trump has cited Arctic security concerns as a key reason for annexing Greenland, a self-governing Danish overseas territory that is part of the NATO alliance.
He has threatened military action to seize the island, a move that could destroy the Western alliance even as it faces a growing risk of war with Russia.
On Monday, news emerged that Trump also wants to take over Greenland because he is unhappy with Norway’s refusal to award him the Nobel Peace Prize last year.
Denmark and Greenland have said the island is not for sale. They have the full support of the UK and EU.
But Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said on Monday he did not believe the US was planning a military takeover of the island.
“Actually I don’t think so. I think this issue can be resolved and should be resolved through calm discussion, but to apply the principles and values ​​that I set out in terms of who decides the future of Greenland and make it clear that using tariffs in this way is completely wrong,” he said.
In a recent interview with the Telegraph, Norway’s defense minister warned that Russia has recently begun a massive expansion of its military bases in the Arctic.
“Russia is building on the Kola Peninsula…one of the largest arsenals of nuclear warheads in the world is located here. They [the nuclear weapons] Not just to Norway, but to the UK and even over the pole to Canada and the US,” Tore O Sandvik told The Telegraph.
He said Moscow was also trying to take full control of the Arctic region to deny NATO access to key shipping lanes.
“We are NATO’s eyes and ears in this area and we see them testing new weapons such as hypersonic missiles, they are testing nuclear-powered torpedoes and nuclear warheads,” he said.
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