Erna Solberg
Photographer: Chris J. Ratcliffe/Bloomberg
Searching for a bright spot in the escalating trade dispute emanating from the U.S., Norway’s prime minister said the world’s biggest economy just isn’t as important anymore.
“It’s important to remember that the U.S. isn’t the same driving force as it used to be,” Erna Solberg said in an interview in Oslo on Monday. “The world economy has more legs to stand on and there are far more economies that are growing.”
The prime minister was a special guest of the G-7 in Canada and had an upbeat take after the summit that ended in chaos and more tariff threats from U.S. President Donald Trump.
There to discuss her vision for the world’s oceans, she found some common ground, even with U.S. officials. And while Trump ultimately rejected a joint-communique, the fact that it was initially agreed on should be taken as a positive, she said.
“Underlying it all, I experienced the G-7 summit as a meeting where we moved forward on many important issues, including those I was present at,” Solberg said. “Even though Trump didn’t participate, the Americans were present and gave clear signals and messages…
