Norway is now providing an additional 3 billion Norwegian kroner to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense systems, according to the Norwegian government.
“Ukraine has been successful in intercepting most drones and cruise missiles, but it needs to strengthen its defenses against ballistic missiles. This is one of Ukraine’s most urgent priorities. That is why Norway is now allocating 3 billion Norwegian kroner for air defense,” said Prime Minister Jonas Gar Støre.
On Tuesday, the prime minister met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey.
“Russia is sending hundreds of drones and missiles into Ukraine day and night. The Patriot air defense system is highly effective and can counter a wide range of threats, including ballistic missiles,” said Defense Minister Tore O. Sandvik.
Together with Denmark, Germany, and Canada, Norway will order new Patriot air defense missiles directly from the manufacturer in the United States. Norway will continue to support the U.S.-led PURL program. PURL is a NATO program for coordinating the funding and donation of advanced U.S. military equipment to Ukraine, including air defense systems. Given the long lead times for some of these missiles, Norway also plans to procure Patriot missiles from countries that already possess them to facilitate rapid donations to Ukraine.
According to the Norwegian government, Ukraine has asked its European partners to participate in the development of a specialized missile defense system. This could also be significant for the defense of Norway and other Alliance member countries. Norway is allocating funding to be able to contribute to this initiative.
“In the future, ballistic missiles could also pose a serious threat to Norway and its allies. Therefore, the Ukrainian initiative is of interest in terms of strengthening Norway’s defense capabilities,” Sandvik said.
The government noted that between 2023 and 2025, Norway provided Ukraine with air defense support totaling 30 billion Norwegian kroner. Norway is also providing significant funding to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense in 2026.
