Norway Boosts Defense Footprint with Expansion of Arctic Brigade

By Gwladys Fouche

OSLO, Aug 20 (Reuters) – Norway expanded on Thursday a recently created military brigade headquartered in the Arctic, the latest move by a NATO nation to boost its defense footprint in the wake of the Ukraine war.

The NATO member established the Finnmark Brigade last year, forming the country’s second brigade and the first one set up since the end of the Cold War. Both brigades have their headquarters in the Arctic.

Norway, like the other Nordic countries, has steeply increased its military budget in response to the Ukraine war and U.S. President Donald Trump’s push