This visit has now been postponed owing to the fact that two of the members of the delegation have had their visa applications for Russia declined.

In June 2016, the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Federation Council of the Russian State Duma, Mr Konstantin Kosachev, visited Norway for a meeting with the Storting’s Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee.

As a follow-up to this visit, a delegation to be headed by Anniken Huitfeldt, the chair of the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, was invited to pay a return visit to Moscow on 2nd and 3rd February to continue this dialogue.

"We regret to have to announce the postponement of this visit. The reason for this is that two of the delegation’s members have not been granted visas. Trine Skei Grande and Bård Vegar Solhjell have had their visa applications rejected. Consequently, the delegation is presently unable to go through with the visit as planned," Ms Huitfeldt said.

"It is highly regrettable that two of the members of the Norwegian delegation have not been granted visas. It is especially unfortunate given the positive dialogue that was entered into between the two committees during Mr Kosachev’s visit to Oslo last year," she added.