Quebec, Canada (Aftenposten): – There is a short-lived joy in protectionism, says the Prime Minister, who believes that President Donald Trump is being criticized as he deserves by his allies.
Erna Solberg arrived in Canada yesterday afternoon Norwegian time.
While the G7 summits were still meeting and among others. discussed global trade, Prime Minister Erna Solberg met the Norwegian press in Quebec. This happened late last night, Norwegian time – but before it was known what kind of final statement the seven were going to make.
– It’s an exciting meeting, she said, referring to a difficult and unstable political situation “where no one really knows where the directions are going.”
However, Solberg expressed little hope for the final outcome of the first round of this weekend’s summit. She herself will participate in the second Saturday.
– I am happy to have a place at the G7 table, she said about the session at sea in which she will participate.
Erna Solberg is the first Norwegian Prime Minister to attend a G7 meeting. On Friday evening Norwegian time, she held a press conference for Norwegian journalists.
No to Putin as country number eight
However, she warned against President Donald Trump’s proposal to allow Russia and President Vladimir Putin to return to their place as the eighth country in the G7 group.
The country was banned after the invasion of Ukraine and annexation of Crimea in 2014. The current G7 countries are the United States, the host country, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Great Britain and Japan.
Although Erna Solberg stressed that it is important to have a dialogue with the Russians, she stressed that Russia is not the 8th richest country in the world and that progress should be made in the matter which led to the ban should the decision be overturned.
But above all she insisted on the fact that Russians might think that “the West always gives in”, that “it’s just a matter of settling down”. They don’t have endurance.”
Prime Minister Erna Solberg in Quebec, here with the extended portion of the G7 summit. From left to right: Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyên Xuân Phúc, Prime Minister Erna Solberg, Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Senegalese President Macky Sall.
Barely meeting Trump
Since Trump announced he would leave the summit before talks on oceans and the environment begin Saturday morning local time, the Norwegian prime minister is unlikely to meet with him this time.
If she had been allowed to meet him, she would likely have – as she says – highlighted her skepticism about using security concerns as an argument to introduce trade barriers against allies.
– All politicians have their national audience, she said, suggesting that we might get tired of talking loudly and tweeting on Twitter.
However, according to Solberg, this is not what creates long-term solutions.
Concerned about the rise of protectionism
The Norwegian Prime Minister believes that President Trump’s introduction of “punitive tariffs” against other countries is a major setback for international trade. According to her, global trade has been moving in the right direction since World War II.
Solberg points out that international trade is extremely important for small countries like Norway, because we can take advantage of our excellent performance in certain areas and import other goods and services that others produce more efficiently.
Although she thought that before the weekend “there had been a high tone” from the EU, France and Germany against Trump’s trade policies, Solberg believes that he ‘deserved.
The traditional “family photo” was taken on Friday. EU President Donald Tusk, British Prime Minister Theresa May, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, US President Donald Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Justis Trudeau, French President Emmanuel Macron, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Prime Italian Minister Giuseppe Conte and the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude. Juncker.
Has a great understanding of the EU and the protests of others
– If you meet your closest allies with security reasons to introduce punitive tariffs, then it becomes a big question mark: what is the security challenge in all this? This is a mechanism that fits into a pre-war perspective, she said.
Although she believes talks and dialogue would be better, she expresses her understanding that countries affected by increased tariffs need to put their foot down and say this is unacceptable.
– Also to put pressure on the Americans to find solutions, she said. She says it’s possible that Trump’s hard line will be heard at home, but it’s not sustainable.
– There will not be more jobs or more well-being thanks to this, she said.
Will fight against protectionism
Erna Solberg said she opposed the construction of trade barriers and protectionism and stressed that free trade had helped, among other things, to lift the Chinese out of poverty.
– It has served all countries well, she said.
– What worries me most is the spiral that American measures can trigger, said the Prime Minister, adding that they do not benefit jobs in the United States or in other parts of the world.
– Protectionism brings short-term joy and little well-being, she said.
When asked directly if she was losing sleep at night because of the ongoing trade war, she replied: – Nothing gets better if I don’t sleep.
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