He also visited a Kyiv Oblast thermal power plant that had been damaged in part by Russian forces.
Norway announced a 250 million euro ($270 million) aid package to help Ukraine repair the damage caused by Russian airstrikes and to assist the Ukrainian people through the difficult winter months.
Since Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine in the year 2022, Norway has become a significant supporter for Ukraine, providing military, humanitarian and financial assistance. Norway has committed to a multi-year plan of support, which includes a pledge of 75 billion NOK (6,8 billion dollars) over a period of five years (2023-2027). The country has also signed security agreements with Ukraine in order to demonstrate its commitment to long-term political and defense cooperation.
According to Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen BART Eide, the aid will be used to repair existing infrastructure and build new facilities that are better protected against future attacks.
Eide said that it was “absolutely essential” to ensure the Ukrainians have access to electricity during this winter.
Bergen Engines won an international tender to procure power supply equipment as part of this aid. According to the Norwegian Foreign Affairs Ministry, this equipment, funded by the Nansen Support Programme, will be critical in boosting Ukraine’s energy capability as winter approaches.
The Norwegian government contributes to the reconstruction of power plants in several Ukrainian regions including Dnipro Odesa Kharkiv Zaporizhzhia and Lviv.
The aid package includes a variety of energy-related initiatives, from providing electricity to entire cities to providing insulation materials for individual homes. These measures are designed to allow Ukrainians to stay in their homes even if there is a power outage.
Eide and Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha inspected personally a thermal power station in Kyiv Oblast, which had been damaged by Russian forces. This inspection highlighted the urgent need for this assistance.
“We have reaffirmed our unwavering allegiance between Ukraine and Norway,” Sybiha said.
Sybiha emphasized the possibility of joint weapons production between both countries, and called for increased Norwegian investments in Ukraine’s defence industry. This request is in line with Norway’s recent commitments towards supporting Ukraine’s military capabilities.
This support is part a larger commitment announced in September by Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, who proposed an increase of NOK 5.0 billion ($457 millions) in support for Ukraine this year.
Norway allocated nearly $93 million in July to Ukraine’s air defence systems. In September, Norway allocated an additional 48 million euros ($51m) for drones and air defense improvements. In October, Norway allocated approximately $87,000,000 to four projects that aimed to boost weapons production capacity with a particular focus on Ukraine.
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