Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said this during the summit of the leaders of Ukraine and the Nordic-Baltic countries (NB8) in Kyiv, according to Ukrinform.

“ And I have announced today that Norway's support to Ukraine next year will be at the level of this year $9 billion, which is a record high. And we will work, as we have done in previous years, to make that money match priorities that make a difference in Ukraine's fight to defend itself, to remain a sovereign, free, democratic country,” the Norwegian prime minister said.

“It's about air defense. It's about developing the Freya project against the ballistic threat. It's about strengthening Ukraine's energy capacity ahead of the winter, he added.

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“I'd like to underline that this is now a two-way relationship. We benefit from working with Ukraine. There are lessons to be learned on preparedness, on resilience, on how you develop and innovate at a remarkable pace”.

Asked about the strategic partnership between Norway and Ukraine, Gahr Støre said that cooperation in the field of drones was one of its areas.

“So for example, on the whole drone field, which is changing the art and landscape of modern military activity, we are contributing to Ukrainian industry, we are transforming our own industry, and we have very valuable input from expertise from Ukraine.”

For his part, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine and Norway plan to jointly produce tens of thousands of long-range drones, combining Ukrainian experience with the technologies of both countries. He also emphasized the importance of Ukraine’s combat experience for improving its partners’ weapons, including NASAMS air defense systems.

“Believe me, our experience, our expertise, which we share with our partners, truly transforms your weapons into weapons that actually work. For example, NASAMS is one of the excellent air defense systems, yes, but when it is used during wartime, it is completely different from when you use it in peacetime, only during exercises and so on,” the head of state said.

As previously reported by Ukrinform, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said that in 2027, Norway would maintain military, humanitarian, and financial assistance to Ukraine at approximately $9 billion.

Ukraine and Norway have signed a Defense Technology Cooperation Agreement (Drone Deal).

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