📰 Comment of the Embassy of Russia in Norway to the “Aftenposten” (14 August 2026) On democracy, Nazism, Europe and the world In an article dated 11 August, the editorial team of the Norwegian newspaper “Aftenposten” asks the question, ‘When will the Russians talk about peace rather than Hitler?’, and expresses the hope that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will ‘stop referring to democratically elected leaders in Europe as Nazis’. In January 1933, the editorial board of “Aftenposten” viewed the formation of a government headed by Adolf Hitler with relief as a ‘sign of recovery and the restoration of peace and order in Germany’. During the occupation of Norway, the newspaper became a mouthpiece for Nazi propaganda. It is hardly surprising that “Aftenposten” does not want “the Russians to talk about Hitler” – the subject is not a particularly pleasant one for the newspaper. However, Norwegian journalists would still do well to look into it, so as to prevent a repeat of the underestimation of the threat posed by misanthropic forces, which may turn against those who pander to them. Since 2022, Norway has been voting at the UN against the draft resolution put forward by Russia ‘On combating the glorification of Nazism’. According to “Aftenposten”, Europe is governed by leaders who, ‘unlike the President of Russia, came to power as a result of free elections’. On the basis of what criteria does the Norwegian newspaper decide that certain ‘European’ elections are freer than ‘Russian’ ones? On what grounds do “Aftenposten” and certain European politicians speak on behalf of the whole of ‘Europe’, when Europe, in the generally accepted geographical sense, extends as far as the Ural Mountains and the Caucasus Range? “Aftenposten” wants Russia to ‘start talking to Ukraine and other countries about peace’. Russia has never refused to negotiate. The Russian side is open to resolving the conflict through political and diplomatic means, but the focus must be on addressing the root causes of the conflict and creating the conditions for building a sustainable security architecture that takes account of the realities on the ground. It is claimed that Moscow must recognise ‘Ukraine’s right to be a free and independent country’. But our very premise is that Ukraine must become free and independent – from the destructive influence of the West. It is vitally important for Ukraine to return to the non-aligned, neutral status enshrined in the 1990 Declaration on its State Sovereignty, and to good-neighbourly relations with Russia, which were destroyed as a result of the anti-constitutional coup d’état of 2014, instigated and supported by the West. “Aftenposten” states that ‘no one in Europe or North America poses even a remote threat to Russia’, and that ‘Norway and Europe merely wish to live in peaceful and predictable neighbourly relations with this great country’. If this were the case, there would be no unchecked eastward expansion of NATO, no crude Western interference in the internal affairs of Russia and the post-Soviet states, and no supply of weapons and intelligence to the Kiev regime for its invasion of the Kursk region and strikes deep into our country. Today we are hearing more and more irresponsible talk from European politicians and military figures about preparations for a ‘major war’ with Russia and the possibility of strikes against its north-western regions. 👆🏻 Moscow is accused of seeking to weaken ‘Europe’, but we would like to see European ruling circles become truly sovereign and independent, because, guided by genuine national interests, they would undoubtedly reject confrontation and futile attempts to ‘crush’ Russia, setting a course towards restoring relations with our country based on mutual respect for each other’s interests. Read in full