Although the brothers received initial support from the government, the Soviet Union officially protested the airport on 5 November 1958. They claimed it could be used as an air force base—and thus would be a violation of the Svalbard Treaty—and pointed out that planning was partially financed with American military funding and that Gunnar was a military officer. From then on the Norwegian government started actively opposing the airport.
Although the brothers received initial support from the government, the Soviet Union officially protested the airport on 5 November 1958. They claimed it could be used as an air force base—and thus would be a violation of the Svalbard Treaty—and pointed out that planning was partially financed with American military funding and that Gunnar was a military officer. From then on, the Norwegian government started actively opposing the airport.