Shared interests are binding Britain and Norway together

For Britain, that cold-weather training is critical, says Ed Arnold of the Royal United Services Institute, a think-tank in London. In a conflict with Russia British troops would probably have to fight in places that demand winter-warfare expertise. Having British commandos on the ground is helpful for Norway, too. Norway’s defence chief warns that Russia could try to seize a chunk of Norwegian territory to create a buffer around Russia’s nuclear arsenal across the border on the Kola Peninsula. In such a scenario, the Royal Marines’ intensifying efforts in the fields of small-team reconnaissance, surveillance and intelligence could be valuable in identifying high-value Russian targets, thinks Mr Arnold.