OSLO, Jan 27 (Reuters): Norway's parliament on Tuesday approved a $2 billion procurement plan for long-range artillery to boost the NATO country's deterrence against Russia in the Arctic, where the two nations share a border.

European countries are in the midst of hiking defence spending, under pressure to do so by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump and unnerved by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"These are weapons that can reach far behind enemy lines... this is decisive in modern warfare," Peter Froelich, the defence policy spokesperson for the opposition Conservatives, told parliament on Tuesday.