Press statement by President Donald Tusk after meeting with Prime Minister of Norway Erna Solberg

Source: European Council i, published on Wednesday, January 21 2015.

Good morning. I was very glad to receive Prime Minister Erna Solberg today. Norway is the European Union's closest partner. We share the single market. Norway takes part in most of our programmes and agencies. We work closely on foreign policy with Norway participating in EU's crisis management missions across the globe.

And what is most important, we share the same values of democracy, freedom of speech, freedom of the media and respect for minorities. Values that Norway continues to stand up for with such integrity - also after the tragic events in July 2011. Likewise, the barbaric attacks in Paris and the threat of more terrorist attacks in other parts of Europe, including here in Belgium, will not intimidate us. Our determination to defend our values has only grown stronger.

The EU's relations with Norway are close and stable, and continue to evolve. Today, we took stock of the negotiations on updating the framework for the EU-Norway relations, the European Economic Area. I am confident that we will be able to conclude them in the near future.

Also high on our agenda were energy and climate, the two interlinked issues on which there is much common ground. Norway remains our reliable partner as an important supplier of gas and oil. It is also becoming more interconnected with the internal energy market. Our close cooperation is crucial for EU's energy security and for the Energy Union, which we are constructing.

On climate we agree that we absolutely need a fair, ambitious and legally binding international agreement at the upcoming Paris summit. We will work together and also with others to reach such a deal in December.

Finally, Prime Minister Solberg and I touched on our relations with Ukraine and Russia. I reiterated the firm, consistent and united European policy towards Russia, which was confirmed at the European Council in December. We both agree that the survival of a democratic Ukraine is in our common interest, and that it is really a fundamental issue for us. We cannot accept any form of aggression, especially the aggression of one state against another state. We will continue our support - to help the Ukrainians become a modern, prosperous and democratic society. Thank you.