OSLO: Norway, proportionally one of the largest donors to Ukraine, is planning a “significant increase” in aid for Kyiv amidst Russian aggression, Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said on Monday.
Norway has already pledged approximately 75 billion kroner ($6.8 billion) in military and civilian aid to be disbursed between 2023 and 2027. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store hinted at a potential augmentation of this aid package over the weekend. “We are talking about a significant increase, I mean that is really relevant also compared with what we have done so far,” stated Foreign Minister Barth Eide during a press briefing in Oslo.
Following his recent visit to Ukraine, Barth Eide emphasized the urgency of bolstering support for the country, which has been grappling with ammunition shortages and recruitment challenges on its eastern front in the face of Russian aggression.
The announcement comes in the wake of the US House of Representatives’ adoption of a $61-billion-dollar aid plan for Ukraine after protracted negotiations. Barth Eide underscored the growing recognition among Western nations of the need for enhanced assistance to Ukraine in its struggle against Russian aggression.
“The alarm bell has sounded across the West … The sense is that we all need to do more and that nobody has done enough,” remarked Barth Eide, emphasizing that allowing Russia to prevail in the conflict was not an option.
Norway, a significant oil and gas producer that has experienced economic gains due to soaring energy prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, ranks among the top contributors to Ukraine, according to assessments by the Kiel Institute.
During his visit to Kyiv, Barth Eide announced that Norway and Ukraine had reached a security agreement, which is slated to be signed at the upcoming meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Norway’s Prime Minister Gahr Store.
