Norway to allocate nearly $93 million to bolster Ukraine's air defenses
Oslo will allocate 1 billion Norwegian kroner (around $93 million) to bolster Ukraine's air defense, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere announced on July 11 at the NATO summit in Washington, as reported by Reuters.
This announcement, came a day after Norway pledged to send six F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.
The Norwegian government will contribute these funds to the German-led Immediate Action for Air Defense initiative, launched in 2024, which aims to quickly enhance Ukraine's air defenses.
"The Ukrainians need more air defense to protect their population from Russian bombs and missiles," Stoere said. "The brutal attacks we have seen this past week highlight the urgent need for greater protection from Russian air attacks."
In cooperation with Germany, Norway will also donate a complete IRIS-T air defense battery to Ukraine this autumn, Stoere said.
Oslo had already allocated 4 billion Norwegian kroner (around $370 million) to fund air defense measures for Ukraine through 2024, according to Reuters.
Norway has recently ramped up efforts to increase defense production, both for domestic needs and to aid Ukraine. In late May, Oslo announced a new package of military aid for Kyiv worth around $190 million.
Dmytro Basmat
