No US president will abandon Ukraine – Norwegian PM

Jonas Gahr Støre, Prime Minister of Norway, does not anticipate that any US president would stop supporting Ukraine or abandon NATO commitments.

Støre made this statement in an interview for Bloomberg amid growing concern in Europe about a decrease in US support for Ukraine after former US president Donald Trump chose Senator J.D. Vance, who has opposed all such aid, as his vice presidential candidate.

Commenting on the idea that Trump’s administration could end support for Ukraine, Støre said he did not agree with this prediction.

"When you really go into it and you study it and you have responsibility, you will see what is at stake. The idea that you will be all in or all out, I think that’s a bit too simplistic," Støre stated.

He noted that Europe "has to do more" on defence spending and contributing to regional defence plans.

"NATO is a great benefit to all members. I don’t see any American president wanting to renounce that. We have to demonstrate to the US and to others the value of this partnership," Støre said.

Famously, Trump has often boasted that if he were elected president, he would be able to negotiate a peaceful settlement between Russia and Ukraine within 24 hours. But he has refused many times to explain publicly how he would do it.

The media have reported that Trump is said to be determined to push Ukraine to make territorial concessions to Russia to end the war.

J.D. Vance, whom Trump has chosen as his running mate, is sceptical about further support for Ukraine and has made it clear in earlier statements that he does not consider Russia a serious threat to Europe.