The opposition Conservative Party of Norway has proposed tripling aid to Ukraine for 2025, from 15 billion to 45 billion Norwegian kroner (from 1.36 billion to 4.07 billion USD), to strengthen its defense capabilities during the current challenging period of war.
This was stated by the leaders of the Norwegian conservatives in an interview with Aftenposten.
According to the leader of the Conservative Party of Norway and former prime minister Erna Solberg, there is no alternative to increasing aid to Kyiv "if we want to do what is historically right in the difficult situation Ukraine is currently in."
The conservatives plan to present their proposal in an alternative budget project, which they will submit to parliament in a few weeks. The proposal suggests allocating 45 billion Norwegian kroner, or 40% of Norway’s defense budget for 2025, to aid Ukraine.
To avoid putting pressure on the Norwegian economy, the opposition suggests investing this money abroad, with most of the additional funding likely to support Ukraine's defense industry.
Other proposals include supporting Ukraine's energy sector and building military infrastructure, including shelters to protect F-16 fighter jets from Russian strikes.
Last year, Norway approved the 'Nansen' programme, a 75 billion Norwegian kroner plan that provides long-term support for Ukraine until 2027, with 15 billion Norwegian kroner allocated annually.
