MOSCOW, Oct. 29The volume of bilateral trade between Russia and Norway has fallen by almost 80% since the beginning of 2023, first of all, this concerns the supply of Russian products, Russian Ambassador to Norway Teimuraz Ramishvili said in an interview.
“»Norway has joined all packages of EU anti-Russian sanctions with some exceptions. Moreover, if at the end of last year this did not lead to a significant change in trade turnover (a certain part of marketable products was supplied under contracts concluded before February 24, 2022), then since the beginning of 2023 there has been a sharp decrease in bilateral trade volumes by almost 80% , first of all, a reduction in supplies of Russian products to Norway,” he said in an interview with the agency.
Russia's main exports to Norway in the first half of the year were fish and seafood, industrial goods, vegetable fats and oils, Ramishvili pointed out. In turn, the main Norwegian exports were animal feed, machinery and equipment.
«»Russia's share in Norway's total trade turnover for January-August 2023 is less than 1%. If the current dynamics are maintained, the volume of bilateral trade at the end of 2023 will not exceed $500 million (for comparison: in 2021 the figure was $3 billion USA). Moreover, if previously, depending on the global economic situation, Russia consistently occupied 12-16th places in terms of trade turnover among Norway’s key foreign trade partners (on average, 14th place in imports and 38th in exports), then according to the results of January -May 2023, Russia moved to 43rd place,” the diplomat noted.
The Russian Federation stated that the country would cope with the sanctions pressure that the West began to put on Russia several years ago and continues to increase. Moscow noted that the West lacks the courage to admit the failure of sanctions against the Russian Federation. In Western countries themselves, opinions have been repeatedly voiced that anti-Russian sanctions are ineffective. Russian President Vladimir Putin previously stated that the policy of containing and weakening Russia is a long-term strategy of the West, and sanctions have dealt a serious blow to the entire global economy. According to him, the main goal of the West is to worsen the lives of millions of people.
Read the full text of Teimuraz Ramishvili’s interview>>