Norway allocates 550 million euros for unmanned technologies to help Ukraine
Almost 550 million euros have been allocated by the Norwegian government to purchase modern drones and weaponized unmanned systems for Ukraine. This is one of the largest contributions of the country to support Ukrainian defense at the current stage of the conflict. According to officials, Norway is investing about 6.5 billion kroner (approximately 550 million euros) in the purchase of unmanned systems from leading Ukrainian and European manufacturers. The main goal of such assistance is to strengthen Ukraine's defense capabilities in the confrontation with Russian aggressors, because in modern combat conditions unmanned technologies play a decisive role. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre emphasized that modern drones are becoming a key element in tactical operations, and the corresponding support is a significant investment for Ukraine in strengthening its defense capabilities. It is important to note that since April of this year, Norway has officially joined the so-called "drone coalition", an initiative led by Latvia, aimed at coordinating and strengthening the supply of unmanned systems in the region. This is the first such case when the country transfers funds directly to Ukrainian and European manufacturers. It is especially important that among the investments is the development and production of unmanned sea vessels, which in the future may be based in Ukraine. Such an initiative opens up new opportunities for the domestic industrial sector and promotes technological progress in the defense industry. In addition to financial assistance, last weekend, Norwegian Defense Minister Tore O. Sandvik visited Ukraine - for the first time during his tenure in this position. During a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky, they discussed investment projects in the production of Ukrainian weapons, in particular drones and long-range missiles, and also signed agreements on the scaling of joint defense production. This indicates Norway's desire to intensify military-technical support to Ukraine and strengthen its defense potential in the difficult conditions of modern warfare.