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UKRAINE

Norway announces five billion kroner boost in civilian aid to Ukraine

Norway will increase civilian aid to Ukraine by five billion kroner ($475 million) this year and extend its aid package by three years to 2030, the prime minister said Friday.

Published: 20 September 2024 15:28 CEST
Pictured is Norwegian PM Jonas Gahr Støre.
Norway announced a fresh increase to civilian aid in Ukraine on Friday. Pictured is a file photo of Norwegian PM Jonas Gahr Støre. Photo by Samuel Corum/ AFP

The extension brings the aggregate aid package to 135 billion kroner from a previous total of 75 billion kroner through 2027.

The Scandinavian country had already pledged 22 billion kroner in military and civilian aid for this year, and the additional five billion kroner will be dedicated to “important civilian needs, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre told journalists after meeting parliamentary leaders.

“We are living through a very dangerous situation in Europe,” Store said.

To get the increased package through parliament, Støre’s centre-left minority government will need the support of the opposition, which has largely backed greater assistance to Ukraine.

Norway is a major gas and oil exporter, and has benefitted from the run-up in prices brought about by Russia’s war in Ukraine.

According to a finance ministry document seen by AFP Thursday, Germany is planning to increase its military aid to Ukraine by almost 400 million euros ($445 million) this year, on top of the 7.5 billion euros it had already earmarked.

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UKRAINE

Norway to deliver six F-16 jets to Ukraine later this year

Norway will begin delivering six F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine later this year, Norwegian PM Jonas Gahr Støre said Wednesday at a NATO summit in Washington.

Published: 11 July 2024 09:26 CEST
Norway to deliver six F-16 jets to Ukraine later this year

Ukraine hopes the advanced US-made jets will help it gain air superiority over Russia and better protect its troops and cities from daily bombardments by Moscow’s troops.

“Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against air attacks is crucial in its battle against Russia”, Store said.

“Norway has now decided to donate six F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. We plan to start delivering the aircraft in the course of 2024.”

The announcement came as Denmark and the Netherlands have begun transferring F-16s to Ukraine, the White House said.

“Combined with air defence systems, the fighter jets will be vital to enabling the Ukrainians to defend themselves against Russian air attacks”, Store added.

The prime minister said Norway would continue to support the training of Ukrainian fighter pilots that began last fall on the Skrydstrup air base in Denmark.

Russia has said its forces will target any Western military hardware, including F-16s, shipped to Kyiv.

Last week its military claimed to have hit three Ukrainian air bases in as many days, raising concerns about Kyiv’s ability to protect its airfields ahead of the arrival of the F-16s.

As part of its support for Ukraine, the Norwegian Defence Equipment Agency struck a more than one-billion Norwegian kroner ($93 million) deal on Tuesday with the Finnish-Norwegian defence group Nammo to ramp up production of artillery and missile ammunition.

Nammo will invest in a new production line allowing it to increase the output of artillery shells tenfold.

The deal is “of great importance for Ukraine, for the security of allies and for our own national preparedness”, Norway’s premier said.

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