According to a report by the Norwegian newspaper VG, Norway has announced that it will provide 100 million Norwegian kroner (approximately $9.5 million) to continue evacuating severely wounded Ukrainians for treatment in Europe. This decision comes after an agreement between Norway and the EU, which was set to expire in November, was extended until April of next year.
Since August 2022, a converted SAS aircraft has been transporting wounded individuals from Ukraine to other European countries for treatment. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre stated that it is crucial to bring these seriously injured patients for treatment and that Norway has the necessary resources to do so. He also mentioned that the demand for this service is still high, which is why they have decided to continue the program.
Støre revealed that nearly half of the patients who have been flown out of Ukraine for inpatient treatment were evacuated by Norwegian aircraft, totaling 1,931 patients. These patients suffer from various conditions such as cancer, injuries, severe burns, and limb fractures. They are flown to Poland and then transported to hospitals across Europe. Additionally, around 400 patients have received treatment in Norway itself.
This commitment to humanitarian aid is in addition to Norway’s recent military support for Ukraine. The Norwegian government has allocated an additional 570 million Norwegian kroner ($55 million) to the International Fund for Ukraine to purchase drones and air defense systems. Furthermore, the Norwegian arms company Nammo will transfer a license to Ukraine for the production of 155mm artillery shells.
On 20 September, the Norwegian government proposed increasing support for Ukraine by 5 billion Norwegian kroner ($479 million) this year and providing at least 15 billion Norwegian kroner ($1.4 billion) annually until 2030. This shows Norway’s strong commitment to helping Ukraine in its time of need.
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