Photo: OP
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has met with Norwegian Defence Minister Tore Onshuus Sandvik. The parties agreed to invest in the joint production of Ukrainian weapons, including drones and long-range missiles, as well as to strengthen Ukraine’s air defence systems, Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on Facebook.
“We discussed further defence cooperation, with a focus on co-production and investment in the production of Ukrainian weapons, strengthening air defence and combat aircraft,” Zelenskyy said.
The President stressed that Norwegian F-16s and NASAMS are an important part of protecting Ukrainian skies. Kyiv expects additional systems.
Zelenskyy also thanked the Norwegian government for its significant military assistance – this year it has increased to $7 billion. Ukraine expects this level of support to continue in 2026.
The key topics of the talks were:
- How to use the funds provided more effectively to combat Russian aggression;
- Scaling up joint production of drones and missiles;
- Increasing the capabilities of long-range weapons.
Zelenskyy also thanked the US for helping Ukraine during the winter energy crisis and for supplying F-16s, NASAMS and missiles to protect civilian infrastructure from Russian terror.
Sandvik, for his part, assured that Norway would continue to support Ukraine, stressing the importance of developing the defence capabilities of both countries.
This was Secretary Sandvik’s first visit to Kyiv since his appointment in February.
