Talking to Putin but Preparing for War: What Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gar Støre Is Known For

On October 27, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gar Støre , together with Finnish President Alexander Stubb, called Vladimir Putin to discuss the prospects for peace in Ukraine.

But instead of a diplomatic breakthrough , they ended up with nothing but a major scandal. The Financial Times reported that the Russian dictator spent most of the hour-and-a-half-long conversation lecturing on medieval Slavic history.

Støre himself was outraged by this interpretation, denied the report, and even demanded a correction from the British publication. However, the journalists refused, insisting on the reliability of their sources (three of them, in fact).

While the Norwegian prime minister is arguing with journalists, his decision to call Putin has already sparked discontent among some European allies.

24 Channel analyzed the biography of Jonas Gar Støre to understand why he is so insistent on the need for dialogue with the Kremlin, how a millionaire with an inherited fortune came to lead the Norwegian Social Democrats, and why a country whose prime minister is trying to negotiate with Russia, is simultaneously spending billions of kroner preparing for a possible war with it and is one of Ukraine’s closest allies.

Work at the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Agreement with Russia: The Political Path of Jonas Gar Støre

Unlike many European politicians who began their careers in youth party organizations and local elections, Jonas Gar Støre entered mainstream politics by a completely different path.

The future prime minister was born on August 25, 1960, in Oslo into a wealthy family. However, his family’s wealth and privileged background did not prevent him from later leading a party that traditionally represents the interests of Norwegian workers.

But before entering politics, Støre chose a military career. In 1979, he enrolled in the Royal Naval Academy in Bergen, where he underwent officer training, and in 1981 he left for France. There, the future prime minister studied at the prestigious Paris Institute of Political Studies, where he majored in political science, history, and economics. It was this education that largely shaped Stere’s future career; he ultimately chose diplomacy and public service over a career in the navy.

Jonas Gar Støre during his student years / Photo – Se og Hør

In 1989, Stere began working as an advisor in the office of the Norwegian prime minister and later headed the department of international affairs there. In the late 1990s, he worked with former Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland, who at the time headed the World Health Organization. Later, he held senior positions in the government, and in 2003, he even became secretary general of the Norwegian Red Cross.

His real political breakthrough came in 2005, when then-Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg appointed Jonas Gar Stere as Minister of Foreign Affairs. He remained in this position for seven full years and during that time had the opportunity to meet and work with many world leaders. And, what is particularly interesting in light of recent events, Støre actively communicated with representatives of the Russian government. However, at that time – primarily in the context of Norwegian interests.

One of Jonas Gar Støre’s greatest diplomatic achievements was the signing in 2010 of a treaty with Russia on the delimitation of maritime zones in the Barents Sea and the Arctic Ocean. The dispute between the two countries lasted about 40 years and concerned a maritime area covering as much as 175,000 square kilometers. Ultimately, the parties agreed to divide the disputed waters roughly in half, resolving issues related to maritime borders, fishing, and potential oil and gas extraction.

Interestingly, the agreement was signed in Murmansk, Russia, and Stere placed his signature alongside that of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who still heads the Russian Foreign Ministry. Also present at the signing were Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

The Norwegian politician himself was very proud of this agreement, as at the time it served as direct confirmation of the effectiveness of international law and institutions:

This is a historic decision. “We have resolved a dispute covering an area the size of several European countries through the norms of UN maritime law, constructive dialogue, and mutual respect between two neighbors,” the politician said in 2010, commenting on the agreement with Russia.

And although Stere and Lavrov remain influential figures in their respective countries today, the subject of international negotiations has changed significantly. Now the issue is no longer disputed maritime areas, but internationally recognized territories of the Ukrainian mainland. At the same time, Russia is now also constantly alluding to its alleged spheres of interest in Europe, particularly in Norway casts doubt on the treaty.

One might assume that, following such a successful experience in negotiations with the Russians, Stere still believes in the possibility of reaching an agreement with the Kremlin through diplomatic channels. This is especially true given that he has known Sergey Lavrov well since his time as foreign minister. The only problem is that key decisions in modern Russia are made solely by Vladimir Putin, who, instead of engaging in substantive dialogue with Northern European leaders, has once again taken to lecturing them on the “root causes of the conflict.” This refers, of course, to Putin’s classic mantra about demilitarization, denazification, and the rejection of Ukrainian territories.

Stere once found common ground with Lavrov / photo – Russian media

In fact, even Stere’s request to correct the Financial Times article does not save the situation, as the Russian dictator has yet to demonstrate any willingness to engage in constructive dialogue. If the Norwegian prime minister is to be believed, Putin did not, in fact, launch into lengthy tales about the Pechenegs, but instead persistently presented his own version of events since 2014. However, the outcome of the conversation and Moscow’s subsequent statements indicate that Russia’s position in the war against Ukraine has not budged an inch.

In 2010, Stere did indeed manage to participate in the diplomatic resolution of a territorial dispute with Russia. But to what extent this experience will help him end the war over territories on whose capture Putin has staked virtually his entire political – and even physical – future is a matter of debate. And, in fact, it is already sparking controversy among other European leaders.

However, the controversy surrounding the negotiations with Putin is far from the first time that Jonas Gar Støre’s political decisions have elicited a mixed reaction. After all, even his claim to leadership among the Norwegian Social Democrats once seemed rather dubious. After all, it’s not every day that a party that has historically fought for workers’ rights, social equality, and the redistribution of wealth is led by someone who has never really had to fight for his own financial well-being.

A Millionaire at the Helm of a Workers’ Party: How Jonas Gahr Støre Became Norway’s Prime Minister

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Jonas Gar Støre’s political biography is that one of Norway’s wealthiest politicians leads a party that has historically fought against privilege and for social equality. Moreover, the future prime minister inherited most of his millions from his family.

A significant portion of Støre’s wealth comes from his grandfather, Johannes Gar, who owned Jøtul – a well-known Norwegian manufacturer of stoves and fireplaces. According to Norwegian media reports, the politician’s declared wealth in 2024 amounted to approximately $7 million. And in 2025 alone, Støre received about $1 million in dividends from his own investment company.

Stere with his wife, Marit Slagsvold. She is a well-known Norwegian sociologist and pastor in the Church of Norway. The couple married in 1988 and have three children / photo – Se og Hør

Obviously, this background has repeatedly prompted uncomfortable questions for the Social Democratic leader. However, Sterre himself sees no contradiction between his personal wealth and his political convictions. Back in 2014, when answering journalists’ questions about tax breaks for wealthy Norwegians, he stated:

“I am among those who already have a lot, and directing resources toward tax breaks for me while simultaneously significantly cutting assistance for children of people with disabilities is a misuse of funds,” Stere replied.

It is also worth noting that even before becoming party leader, Støre experienced one of the greatest tragedies in modern Norwegian history. On July 21, 2011, Stere visited a youth party camp on the island of Utøya, where he spoke with activists from the Labor Party’s youth wing and played soccer with them. The very next day, far-right terrorist Anders Breivik shot and killed 69 people there, mostly teenagers and young adults. A total of 77 people died in the Oslo bombing.

We discussed international politics and played soccer. There was a real youth camp atmosphere – a day of sunshine and joy. The next day, darkness fell over the island, over my country, and, I would say, over all of Europe as well,” Stere recalled these events in 2023.

It is particularly chilling that Stere himself was also among Breivik’s targets – The terrorist planned to kill him and former Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland – whom Breivik considered traitors to Norway because of their support for immigration and multiculturalism.

In fact, the future prime minister narrowly missed the man who was planning to kill him by just one day.

Later, after the Social Democrats’ defeat in the 2013 elections, Støre did become the leading candidate for the party leadership. In 2014, he succeeded Jens Stoltenberg as leader of the Labor Party, though he was far from immediately able to bring it to power. In the 2017 election, the Social Democrats again lost to Erna Solberg’s Conservatives, and Støre had to remain in the opposition for another four years.

It wasn’t until 2021 that the Labor Party returned to power, forming a coalition with the centrists. However, rising living costs and disputes over energy policy gradually eroded the government’s popularity. By 2025, the centrists had left the coalition altogether, and Støre and his party found themselves effectively leading a minority government.

It would seem that after such a political fiasco, the prime minister had no choice but to prepare to step down. However, in the parliamentary elections in September 2025, the Labor Party once again came in first, receiving about 28% of the vote and 53 of the 169 seats in parliament.

And surprisingly, Stere enjoys a fairly high level of trust among Norwegian workers. The heir to wealthy parents, who advocates for higher taxes on the rich, managed to convince voters that his background does not prevent him from defending their interests.

However, today the prime minister faces challenges far more serious than tax policy. After all, Norway, despite all its wealth and stability, remains a direct neighbor of Russia – a country that has unleashed the largest war in Europe in recent decades. And it shows no signs of stopping.

Diplomacy Through Strength: Why Norway Is Wary of Russia and Supports Ukraine

It is important to understand that, unlike Western European countries, for Norway, the Russian threat is far from an abstract issue. The country shares a land border with Russia that stretches about 200 kilometers, and nearby, on the Kola Peninsula, are bases of the Russian Northern Fleet, including nuclear submarines. Moreover, Russia has long had its sights set on the Svalbard archipelago and other Norwegian territories in the Arctic.

So while some European politicians are merely discussing plans to prepare for a possible war, the Norwegians are already actively investing billions in their own defense.

Moreover, Jonas Gar Stere himself makes no secret of who Oslo considers the main threat to national security. In May 2026, in an op-ed for Aftenposten, the prime minister directly acknowledged that the Russian invasion of Ukraine had fundamentally changed relations between the two countries, and that Moscow will likely remain a threat to Norway and its allies for a long time to come. However, Stere has no intention of cutting off contact with the Kremlin, because, unlike political relations, Norway’s geographical proximity to Russia isn’t going anywhere.

We must have a vision that in the future we will be able to live alongside Russia. We do not choose our geographical location, but no one should think that Norway is naive – and does not understand the geographical realities of which we are a part,” explains Jonas Gar Støre.

In March 2026, the Søre government proposed allocating an additional 12.5 billion dollars for a long-term defense development program through 2036. This money is intended, in particular, for the accelerated procurement of submarines and frigates, replenishing ammunition stocks, and strengthening the brigade in Finnmark – a northern region bordering Russia. The prime minister himself explained the need for such spending quite simply:

The world has become more unstable, and the security situation has become more complex. “The war in Ukraine has given us new insights. That is why we are significantly increasing funding for our long-term defense plan, while also setting the priorities necessary to rapidly strengthen Norway’s defense capabilities,” the Norwegian prime minister stated.

However, the Norwegians are not limiting themselves to their own rearmament. After all, Oslo considers support for the Ukrainian army – which has been resisting the Russian invasion for five years now – to be one of the main ways to deter Russia.

In 2023, Norway launched a special Nansen program, named after the famous Norwegian polar explorer and humanitarian Fridtjof Nansen. Initially, its budget was approximately $8.1 billion, but funding has since been increased several times.

As of October 2026, the approved total budget for the program for 2023–2030 stands at $29.7 billion, and the government has already proposed increasing it to $37.2 billion. For 2026 alone, $9.2 billion is allocated, of which $7.6 billion is for military needs, and the remaining $1.6 billion is for civilian and humanitarian aid.

In other words, this involves not only the supply of weapons but also support for Ukraine’s energy sector, gas purchases, infrastructure reconstruction, and direct budgetary aid.

In effect, Norway is helping Ukraine both fight Russia and maintain normal life amid constant Russian attacks.

During his visit to Kyiv on August 23, Stere himself emphasized that support for the Ukrainian resistance is needed not only by Ukraine itself but by all of Europe. At that time, he also announced the Norwegian government’s intention to maintain large-scale funding for aid to Kyiv in 2027.

During his visit to Kyiv, Stere visited Lukyanivka to see the consequences of the agreements with Russia / photo – Office of the Prime Minister of Norway

So it turns out that the man who, back in 2010, negotiated a peaceful delimitation of maritime zones with Russia, is now forced to simultaneously seek opportunities for dialogue with Putin – even in the face of criticism from partners – while also preparing his own country for possible Russian aggression should diplomacy ultimately prove ineffective.

Moreover, Stere himself seems to have no particular illusions about the danger posed by such a neighborhood, as he wisely says: “We must not be afraid, but we must be prepared.”

Photo: Office of the Prime Minister of Norway

Perhaps this very phrase best explains Norway’s current policy and the logic behind Jonas Gahr Støre’s own actions. After all, regardless of how many more of Putin’s history lessons European leaders will have to endure, the Norwegian prime minister understands perfectly well that containing Russia will likely require not only words but also weapons.