President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with Norway’s Minister of Defense Tore Onshuus Sandvik. This was his first visit to Ukraine since his appointment to the post in February this year.
The Head of State thanked the Norwegian government for its substantial military support for Ukraine, which has been increased to $7 billion this year. Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine hopes this level of assistance will be maintained next year as well.
The key topic of discussion was how to use these funds in the most effective way to help Ukrainians in their fight against Russian aggression.
"We spoke, of course, with the Prime Minister about increasing the capacity of our domestic production of long-range weapons. I am pleased to note that he supported this idea and proposed discussing it with you in more detail," the President said.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Tore Onshuus Sandvik discussed investment in Ukrainian weapons production – in particular, long-range missiles and drones – as well as scaling up joint defense manufacturing.
Among other key issues were the strengthening of air defense and the enhancement of combat aviation. The President thanked Norway for providing F-16 fighter jets. He also highlighted the importance of supplying NASAMS systems and missiles to protect civilian infrastructure from Russian terror.
In addition, Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to Norway for its energy support during the winter and for allocating funds for the purchase of imported gas.
Norway’s Minister of Defense reaffirmed continued support for Ukraine and emphasized the importance of developing the defense capabilities of both nations.
