Norway has allocated 2 billion euros ($2.1 billion) for military aid to Ukraine in 2025, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said following a meeting with his Norwegian counterpart on Jan. 9.
Norway has been one of Ukraine's staunchest supporters in Europe. Previously, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere on Dec. 16 announced 2.7 billion Norwegian kroner ($242 million) to bolster Ukraine's navy and help it deter Russian threats in the Black Sea.
Umerov met with Norwegian Defense Minister Bjorn Arild Gram on the sidelines of the Ramstein summit in Germany on Jan. 9. According to Umerov, the 2025 assistance to Ukraine will mark the largest military aid package in Norway's history.
The two ministers discussed how to prioritize Norway's assistance.
"Special attention was given to the strengthening of air defense — a critical area where we count on Norway's support," Umerov said in a social media post following the summit.
Norway will continue investing in Ukraine's domestic military production and joint projects, particularly ammunition production, he added.
Norway has pledged a new funding mechanism for Ukraine, the "Norwegian model," meant to complement an existing "Danish model" of defense spending. The Danish model aims to purchase arms from Ukrainian manufacturers rather than providing materiel shipments.
Denmark became the first country to offer to donate arms to Ukraine via direct purchases from the Ukrainian defense industry, as Kyiv's defense budget does not match the capacities of domestic weapons production.
Ukraine's other allies also reaffirmed their support at the Ramstein summit, the last such meeting under U.S. President Joe Biden.
Martin Fornusek
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