Prime Minister Støre expressed concern over the ongoing assaults on Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure by Russian forces. "Every morning the news reports about Russian missiles and drones hitting civilian buildings, power plants and killing many people. Ukraine was able to protect itself from this, but it is running out of fuel," he stated.
He further elaborated that significant financial resources will be dedicated to this initiative. "The Nansen program was partly used for this, but in the revised budget we will also allocate enough funds so that Norway will participate in this initiative from the very beginning," Støre explained. The Nansen program is a comprehensive Norwegian support package that provides NOK 75 billion over five years for both military and civilian aid to Ukraine.
While the exact amount of the new funding was not disclosed, the Prime Minister assured that these details would be revealed with the presentation of the revised budget. He emphasized the importance of investing in peace and freedom, acknowledging the high costs involved. "It is expensive, but maintaining peace and freedom costs money. Those who pay the highest price are Ukraine and Ukrainians," he noted.
This announcement comes as Ukraine and Norway are set to formalize a security agreement, following the framework agreements made at the NATO summit in Vilnius last year. This move underscores Norway’s continued commitment to supporting Ukraine amid its ongoing conflict with Russia.
