Norway is the third on the per GDP and deeply supportive of Ukraine’s victory to drive the Russian invaders out its territory.
Military commitments
3.800bn € (Rank: 6)
0.865% of GDP (Rank: 5)
Humanitarian commitments
0.352bn € (Rank: 10)
0.080% of GDP (Rank: 6)
Financial commitments
3.415bn € (Rank: 5)
0.777% of GDP (Rank: 1)
Video from Zelenskyy TG, in Kyiv, Text of From Ukrainian Foreign Ministry
BILATERAL COOPERATION BETWEEN UKRAINE AND NORWAY
POLITICAL DIALOGUE
1. Recognition of Ukraine: 24 December 1991.
2. Establishment of diplomatic relations: 5 February 1991.
3. Bilateral contractual and legal basis
The contractual and legal base of bilateral relations consists of 43 international agreements, including interstate, intergovernmental and interdepartmental agreements, and other bilateral political documents that have been signed on a high political level.
4. Historical ties between Ukraine and Norway
Historical contacts between Ukraine and Norway date back to the end of the first millennium AD. In 975-1066, Norway and Kyivan Rus maintained particularly friendly relations. Numerous descendants of Norwegian kings and nobles stayed at the Kyiv court, where they studied military affairs and could also participate in campaigns against Constantinople (Scandinavian name – Miklagard).
Future legendary Norwegian king Ulav Tryugvason (b. 968 – d. 1000), who spent many years in Kyiv during his exile, was raised at the court of Volodymyr the Great in Kyiv from the early childhood. The future king of Norway Magnus the Good (years of the reign: 1035 – 1047) also spent several years in Kyiv.
However, the most legendary in the thousand-year history of relations between Kyiv and Oslo was the marriage of Harald Hardraade and daughter of Yaroslav the Wise and Ingigerda -Elizabeth (Scandinavian name – Ellisiv). Harald spent a long time at the court of Prince Yaroslav, together with Magnus, who was Harald’s nephew. Norwegian sagas say that after Yaroslav the Wise refused to allow Harald to marry Elizabeth, he left for Constantinople and returned with the glory an invincible warrior and great treasures. In 1045, Harald and Elizabeth got married, and next year left for Norway.
After the death of Magnus in 1047, Harald Hardrade became the King of Norway and the same year founded a new capital of Norway – Oslo, turning the city into the new royal residence. In 1066, Harald died at the Battle of Britain.
5. Political issues
18.10.2016 – as a result of the first official visit of the President of Ukraine to Norway relations between Ukraine and Norway were officially declared as an intergovernmental partnership.
Ukraine considers Norway to be one of its important European partners with a significant untapped cooperation potential. Recent years have been characterized by a particularly dynamic development of Ukrainian-Norwegian relations, in particular, a significant intensification of bilateral political dialogue. Since the beginning of russia’s full-scale war, Norway has provided Ukraine with practical support in all key areas of cooperation, including: supply of high-precision weapons, economic and financial support, humanitarian aid, and implementation of the sanctions policy against the aggressor-state (Norway joins the EU sanctions against Russia, although it is not a member of the EU).
In addition to the activities within the framework of the political dialogue, regular contacts between Ukraine and Norway take place at the interinstitutional and expert levels, in particular through the ministries of foreign affairs, defence, energy, education, health care and other institutions.
A number of new initiatives and mechanisms for cooperation have been established within the framework of bilateral relations, in particular, the Ukrainian-Norwegian intergovernmental commission on cooperation in trade, business and economy, Ukrainian-Norwegian dialogue on European integration, initiative to increase energy efficiency, cooperation programs in the medical field, initiative “Ukraine-Norway: united by history”.
In 2018, the first major Norwegian investment projects in Ukraine in the field of renewable energy were launched; development of new promising directions and projects of bilateral cooperation is ongoing.
6. Practical support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine
Norway demonstrates strong political support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine both on bilateral and multilateral levels (UN, NATO, Council of Europe, OSCE).
In 2022, Norway’s assistance to Ukraine amounted to NOK 10,7 billion (USD 1 billion).
On 6 February 2023, the Government of Norway announced an unprecedented support package for Ukraine: NOK 75 billion (approximately USD 7 billion) for the period 2023-2027 for Ukraine’s military and humanitarian needs.
Norway commits to $150 Mil to pay for Czech shells
Norway: March 7, 2024, announces “Ukraine urgently needs large quantities of artillery ammunition to withstand the Russian war of aggression” https://kyivindependent.com/norway-contributes-153-million-to-czech-led-ammunition-initiative-for-ukraine/
Norwegian Defense Meeting
Together with the Prime Minister of Norway, they met with representatives of Norwegian business.
- NKr 2 billion (€200 million) of humanitarian aid, on 27 February 2022.[216]
- Norwegian dairy product cooperative Tine is sending 40,000 litres of milk to Ukraine at the request of the Ukrainian embassy in Oslo.[217]
- NKr400 million to support United Nations humanitarian aid, including for Ukraine in the beginning of 2023.
- The Norwegian parliament approved the plan for a support program for Ukraine over five years totalling NKr75 billion (15 billion a year).[218]
- NKr 2 billion for welfare services.[219]
- 2 NASAMS firing units [November 2022]. Two Fire Distribution Centers, two launchers and spare parts [July 2023].[300]
- IRIS-T anti aircraft missiles.[August 2023] [301]
- 11 M270 MLRS (Delivered to the United Kingdom to allow the British Army to transfer eleven more modern M270B1s to Ukraine).
- 23 155mm M109A3GNs [22 in May 2022, 1 in November 2022] (Delivered along with ammunition).
- 16 155mm ShKH Zuzana 2s [To be delivered] (Joint purchase by Germany, Norway and Denmark).
- 8 Leopard 2A4s [Delivered March 2023].
- 14 Iveco LAV IIIs [October 2022].
- 100 Mistral 2s [April 2022].
- Hellfire Shore Defense Systems [Late 2022].
- 3 ARTHUR counter-battery radars [To be delivered].
- 850 Black Hornet Nanos, joint purchase from UK and Norway [August 2022].[302][303] 1000 new dronekits to be provided [July 2023].[304]
- 2 NM217 armoured recovery vehicles [Delivered in March 2023].
- 2 NM189 Ingeniørpanservogn armoured engineering vehicles [Delivered in March 2023].
- Scania P92 trucks with crane [Confirmed delivered in January 2023].
- Scania P113 trucks with hook lift [Confirmed delivered in January 2023].
- Demining equipment [August 2023]
- 4,000 NM72F1 (M72 LAW) [March and April 2022].
- Nammo M72-EC [Unknown].
- Cortex Typhon counter UAV systems worth NOK 740 million.[305]
- 10,000 155mm Nammo NM28 artillery rounds for M109A3GN SPG [Delivered since May 2022].
- 160 AGM-114 Hellfires [To be delivered].
- 24,000 155mm artillery shells To be delivered], in cooperation with Denmark, who will provide fuzes, propellant bags and primer cartridges.
- 5,000 helmets ‘HJELM’ [February 2022].
- 1,500 bulletproof vests [February 2022].
- 55,000 pieces of winter clothing [November 2022].
- 1,000 gas masks [February 2022].
- Night vision goggles [July or August 2022].
- 55,000 bandages [November 2022].
- Thermal binoculars [July or August 2022].
- 45,000 Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MREs) [February and November 2022].
- 280,000 MREs [July 2023][306]
- 2,000 sleeping bags [February 2022].
- 10,000 sleeping pads [February 2022].
- 20,000 pieces of spare parts for the M109A3GN SPG [February 2022].
- 1 field hospital [To be delivered] (In cooperation with Estonia and The Netherlands).
- €36.5 million to equip the Ukrainian military through the European Peace Facility[307]
7. Trade and economic cooperation
Trade and economic cooperation between Ukraine and Norway is regulated by the Free Trade Agreement between Ukraine and the EFTA States and the Agreement on Agriculture between Ukraine and Norway. The Agreement on Agriculture, which regulates trade of agricultural products, was concluded in addition the Free Trade Agreement between Ukraine and the EFTA States. This Agreement is part of the documents creating a free-trade zone between Ukraine and the EFTA States. At the same time, Norway remains less open to Ukrainian exporters than the EU countries.
During the last years, Ukrainian-Norwegian trade and investment cooperation has shown a relatively positive dynamic.
According to the Central Norwegian office for official government statistics, in 2022 the total trade turnover between Ukraine and Norway amounted to €337 million.
In 2022, exports of goods from Ukraine to Norway amounted to €62 million (in % to 2021: 94%). During the same period, imports of goods to Ukraine from Norway amounted to €275 million (in % to 2021: 100%).
In 2022, the negative trade balance for Ukraine (goods) with Norway amounted to €213 million.
The main factor that led to the reduction of export from Ukraine to Norway was russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, seizure by the aggressor of parts of Ukrainian territory and destruction of a number of infrastructure and production facilities.
8. Scientific and technical cooperation
Since 2015, the European Wergeland Center (Oslo) has been working closely with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine to reform the curriculum of Ukrainian school. On 27 January 2020, the Democratic School program aimed at supporting educational reforms in Ukraine began the 5th cycle of the project, which involved 60 Ukrainian schools. By 2020, more than 350 schools from all regions of Ukraine have been involved in the program, more than 72 trainers have been trained, several manuals on civil responsibility have been created, improvements to the 12th grade curriculum were proposed.
A notable contribution to the development of scientific and educational ties between Ukraine and Norway can be attributed to the Norwegian Center for International Cooperation and Improving the Quality of Higher Education (DIKU) that together with Ukrainian universities has implemented over 70 projects worth more than €12 million.
The joint project “Norwegian-Ukrainian Education and Research Cooperation in the field of Sustainable Management” of the Nord University (Bodø) and Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv provided an opportunity to receive diplomas for 190 masters, 35 candidates of sciences and 60 teachers.
Within the framework the project on Professional retraining of military officers, veterans and their family members, which has been conducted for 15 years under the auspices of the International Fund for Social Adaptation, the Norwegian Institute of Business Administration, Nord University and 18 universities of Ukraine, 10 646 military officers, veterans and their family members received professional retraining.
Two projects of the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska have been implemented in Norway: “Ukrainian bookshelves” (October 17, 2022 in Svalbard, November 29, 2022 in Agder, and December 20, 2022 in Oslo) and a Ukrainian-language audio guide on the bus tourist route in Oslo.
9. Ukrainians in Norway
According to the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration, as of 2023, almost 40,000 ethnic Ukrainians live in Norway with the biggest number in the cities of Oslo, Bergen, Stavanger, Trondheim and Drammen. There are 3 Sunday schools in Norway – Ukrainian School «Kobzar» in Norway, Ukrainian School «Ellisiv» in Oslo, Ukrainian school in Stavanger, and 7 regional public organizations, in particular:
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- NGO «The Ukrainian Society in Norway» (founded in 2004, Oslo);
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- NGO «The Ukrainian Union of Western Norway» (founded in 2009, Bergen);
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- NGO «Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Center in Norway» (founded in 2016, Oslo);
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- NGO «The Ukrainian Union in Rogaland» (founded in 2016, Stavanger);
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- NGO «The Ukrainian Union in Trondheim» (founded in 2018, Trondheim);
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- NGO «The Ukrainian Union of Eastern Norway» (founded in 2020, Oslo);
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- NGO «The Ukrainian Union in Agder» (founded in 2022, Kristiansand).