Following a NATO summit in Madrid, Spain, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere confirmed in a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that his country would deliver an additional 1 billion euros in military support to Ukraine.
The donation, which is equivalent to 1.04 billion USD, will be the Ukrainian government’s to spend however they see fit.
“I’m here to say that Ukraine’s fight is not only for Ukraine,” the Norwegian PM said during the press conference. “This is about some fundamental principles of the world we are going to offer to our children. This is about security in Europe, this is about the fate of your neighbor.”
Stoere also said that Norway’s support for Ukraine is driven by the fact that the war is a “breach of international law” and that Ukraine has the right to defend itself.
“And we have the right to help you defend yourself,” Stoere said.
How Much Support Has Norway Given So Far?
According to the Norwegian government, Ukraine has received 202 million euros from Norway so far. The latest 1 billion euros donation represents a significant increase in funding to Ukraine, and the Norwegian government did not rule out the possibility of providing additional financial support in the future.
In the speech, the Norwegian leader said that the 1-billion-euro aid will be “for the remaining part of 2022 and 2023,” suggesting that the increase is also an effort to reduce the number of donations made over the next 18 months.
As Norway and other NATO countries continue to provide financial and military support to Ukraine, questions remain over how Ukraine intends to pay to rebuild its cities and infrastructures in the eventuality that Russia withdraws its troops from its territory.
Norway Also Provides Military Hardware
In a June press release, the Norwegian government confirmed the donation of 22 M109 155mm tracked self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine.
“The Norwegian Army has recently replaced their M109 artillery guns with new artillery from South Korea, but still has M109 stored. 22 of these have been donated, along with gear, spare parts and ammunition. Norway has also trained Ukrainian soldiers on how to use the system. This training has taken place in Germany,” the press release explains.
The donation was described by the government as “substantial” by the Minister of Defense, and one that is “very much in demand” by the Ukrainian military.
The artillery pieces were shipped directly from Norway.
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society.