Norway is allocating NOK 500 million (about $53 million) to Ukraine’s state budget through the World Bank, which will help sustain critical public services and ensure the payment of wages, pensions, and social benefits in Ukraine’s civilian sector in early 2027, according to a statement on the Norwegian government’s website on Friday.
“Ukraine’s resilience also depends on whether everyday life can be maintained, even amid a prolonged war. Norway is helping to ensure that children can go to school, hospitals can treat patients, and retirees can receive their pensions,” said Foreign Minister Espen Bart Eide following a meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga in Warsaw, where they are jointly participating in a meeting of foreign ministers from Germany, Poland, the Nordic countries, and the Baltic states, along with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas.
The meeting is dedicated to the situation in Ukraine and is part of a broad diplomatic effort ahead of the next round of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, which will take place next week in Abu Dhabi.
“In addition to our extensive and long-term military and civilian support for Ukraine, Finland and Norway are helping Ukraine prepare for the upcoming negotiations. Our goal is to contribute to achieving a lasting and just peace in Ukraine. This is also one of the topics I am discussing today with my Ukrainian counterpart,” Eide noted.
A government statement emphasizes that Norway’s support strengthens Ukraine’s position in any future negotiations with Russia, and that Norway has previously provided assistance in meeting the urgent financial needs of Ukraine’s state budget.
The funding is provided through a multilateral donor trust fund of the World Bank, which reimburses verified expenditures on salaries, pensions, and social benefits in the civilian sector, particularly in the areas of health care, education, and emergency services.
“This assistance will help ensure payments to socially vulnerable households, pensioners, and public sector employees. It will also help meet year-end financing needs and marks Norway’s first contribution to Ukraine’s state budget in 2027,” the government noted.
It is noted that the World Bank is an important partner for Ukraine and the Nansen Support Program for Ukraine. The Bank works closely with the EU and other partners and supports reforms that are part of Ukraine’s efforts toward EU membership. “Good governance and the fight against corruption are central elements of the World Bank’s activities in Ukraine. The Fund has special control mechanisms that verify expenditures before they are reimbursed. These processes are also subject to external oversight,” the Norwegian government emphasized.
As previously reported, a trilateral meeting (between Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia) in Abu Dhabi is scheduled for November 10–11, 2026, in a working format mediated by the U.S. The main topics of the talks will be: an energy ceasefire (cessation of attacks on the energy sector and critical infrastructure), the safety of shipping in the Black Sea (the grain corridor), humanitarian issues, and the exchange of prisoners.
