Norwegian Defense Minister Tore Onshuus Sandvik made his first official visit to Kyiv on June 22. During a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the parties paid special attention to issues of defense cooperation, particularly the possibilities for investing in joint production of Ukrainian weapons.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Strengthening Defense Cooperation
The main topics of discussion were the enhancement of air defense and the development of combat aviation. President Zelensky emphasized the importance of supplying Norwegian F-16 fighters and NASAMS systems for the protection of Ukraine’s airspace. The Ukrainian side hopes for an expansion of this support and the acquisition of additional defense systems.
“We discussed further defense cooperation, focusing on co-production and investment in the production of Ukrainian weapons, strengthening our air defense and combat aviation. Norwegian F-16s and NASAMS are a significant component of protecting our skies. We appreciate this and hope for additional systems,” Volodymyr Zelensky reported on his Telegram channel.
Increased Military Support from Norway
Volodymyr Zelensky also thanked the government and people of Norway for their ongoing military assistance to Ukraine. This year, the volume of Norwegian support has increased to 7 billion dollars, which has become an important contribution to strengthening the country’s defense capabilities. The Ukrainian authorities highly value this assistance and note its reliable nature.