General Jens Stoltenberg has returned to government in his native Norway as finance minister, months before a national election.

Former NATO head Jens Stoltenberg said he will temporarily leave his position as chair of the Munich Security Conference because he has accepted a position as Norway's finance minister.

Norway's eurosceptic Centre Party quit the government on Thursday in a dispute over the adoption of European Union energy policies, leaving the centre-left Labour to rule alone eight months before an election.

Former NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, who became Norway's new finance minister on Tuesday, said engaging with the Trump administration on trade was key to avoiding tariffs as Europe braces for a potential transatlantic trade war.