Ukraine and Norway are establishing their first joint production facility for Ukrainian drones. Several thousand mid-strike drones are planned to be manufactured in Norway, with the first deliveries expected by summer, according to the Ministry of Defense’s website.
The agreement was signed in Kyiv by Norway’s Ambassador to Ukraine Lars Ragnar Aalered Hansen and Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Defense for European Integration Serhiy Boev.
The agreement also provides for the development of comprehensive industrial cooperation, including research.
The project will be funded by the Norwegian side. In total, Norway plans to allocate over $1.5 billion this year to purchase Ukrainian-made weapons for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The first systems manufactured in Norway are expected to be delivered to Ukraine as early as this summer.
“Norway gains the opportunity to produce technologies that have proven their effectiveness, while Ukraine receives the drones necessary to seize the initiative on the front lines. This is a true win-win partnership,” noted Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.
In turn, Tore Onshuus Sandvik emphasized that “supporting Ukraine’s fight is the most important thing we are doing for Norway’s security. This is a collaboration that benefits both countries.”
According to him, the experience gained through this project will allow Norway to expand its production capabilities in a critically important area.
The Ministry of Defense notes that mutually beneficial technological and industrial cooperation with partners is one of Ukraine’s top priorities.
The results of a public opinion poll conducted in March 2026 by the research firm Active Group in collaboration with the Experts Club information and analytical center show that Norway continues to rank among the countries with the highest level of positive perception among Ukrainians. Overall, 72.7% of respondents rate their attitude toward this country as positive, although this figure has declined slightly from 77.7% compared to August 2025. At the same time, negative ratings remain minimal—1.9% versus 1.3% previously.
The breakdown of responses shows a consistently high level of positivity. The share of those who have a completely positive attitude toward Norway stands at 37.1%, while another 35.7% selected the “mostly positive” option. Thus, the dominance of positive perception is undeniable. At the same time, 24.2% of respondents hold a neutral position, indicating a certain degree of distance in their perception of the country, despite its generally favorable image.
Negative assessments remain marginal: 1.4% of respondents chose “mostly negative,” and another 0.5% selected “completely negative.” The share of those who could not decide on an answer is 1.2%. This distribution of responses confirms that Norway practically does not evoke rejection in the public consciousness of Ukrainians.
The decline in the positive rating by a few percentage points is accompanied not so much by an increase in negative views as by an increase in neutral assessments. This means that the changes are more a matter of a redistribution of responses than a fundamental shift in attitude. Ukrainians continue to perceive Norway as a stable and friendly partner, although the intensity of this perception has decreased somewhat.
In the broader context of the study, Norway belongs to the group of Northern and Western European countries that demonstrate the highest levels of positive attitude. This reflects a general trend in Ukrainian society toward countries with a high level of development, a stable political system, and consistent support for Ukraine.
“Ukrainians quite clearly differentiate countries based on levels of trust and actual support. In the case of Norway, we see a consistently high level of positive attitude, which is not shaped by current events but rather by a long-term perception of this country as a reliable partner. Even a slight decline in the indicators does not change the overall picture—it remains one of the most positive among all the countries surveyed,” noted Oleksandr Pozniy, director of the research company Active Group.
Thus, the survey results confirm that Norway maintains a strong position in Ukrainians’ positive perception. The slight downward trend is not systematic and is not accompanied by an increase in negative sentiment. This indicates a well-established and stable image of the country, which is not dependent on short-term factors and remains one of the strongest in Europe.
According to a study conducted by the Experts Club information and analytical center based on data from the State Customs Service, Norway ranks 37th in total trade volume with Ukraine, with a figure of $502.5 million. At the same time, imports of Norwegian goods significantly exceed exports of Ukrainian products, resulting in a negative bilateral trade balance of $430.7 million.
The study was presented at the Interfax-Ukraine press center; the video can be viewed on the agency’s YouTube channel. The full version of the study can be found at this link on the Experts Club think tank’s website.
ACTIVE GROUP, EXPERTS CLUB, NORWAY, Pozniy, SOCIOLOGY, SURVEY, UKRAINE, URAKIN
The Norwegian government is tightening its rules regarding refugees from Ukraine: men aged 18 to 60, with some exceptions, will no longer be granted temporary protection in the country; this change will take effect shortly (Relocation).
“Since the fall of 2025, too many people have arrived in Norway, especially young men. Norway has already accepted the largest number of Ukrainians in Scandinavia, and Norwegian municipalities are reporting strain on the service delivery system and a shortage of housing. “That is why we are tightening the restrictions,” said Minister of Justice and Emergency Situations Astrid Hansen. “We also consider it important that as many people as possible remain in Ukraine to join the defense effort and support the functioning of Ukrainian society,” she added.
The change in regulations will mean that men aged 18 to 60 will no longer be covered by the temporary collective protection mechanism, under which temporary residence permits are granted based on a group assessment. Those applying for asylum will have their applications processed in the usual manner.
The government has provided for certain exceptions to these stricter requirements.
“First, they will apply only to new applicants and will not affect those who already have temporary collective protection in Norway. The stricter requirements will also not apply to minors or men over 60 years of age, men who have documented proof of exemption from military service or are clearly unable to perform it, or individuals evacuated under the medevac program. An exception is also made for men who are the sole caregivers for accompanying children or children in Norway. This applies only to the child’s father or another close family member,” the government statement noted.
The Norwegian government has approved a decision to allocate 85 billion Norwegian kroner (1 krone = $0.1) to support Ukraine in 2026, of which 70 billion kroner will go to military aid and 15 billion kroner to support civil society, the government press service reported on Tuesday.
“In close dialogue with the Ukrainian authorities, the government has now determined the main direction of military support for Ukraine in 2026. We will use the funds where they will have the greatest effect for Ukrainians,” said Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.
Priority attention in the field of military support will be given to drones, air defense, artillery ammunition, and the training and equipping of Ukrainian military personnel, the statement said.
Thus, more than 12 billion kroner will be allocated for drones and their autonomy (equipment capable of operating independently), about 9 billion kroner for air defense and F-16 fighter jets, about 6 billion kroner for maritime security, more than 8 billion kroner for international cooperation mechanisms and strategic projects, etc.
In addition, 11.5 billion kroner allocated in 2025 will be spent on military needs in 2026.
As the prime minister noted, if during the year it becomes necessary to change the areas of support, “they will be carried out in close cooperation with the Ukrainians.”
Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, who is visiting Kyiv, announced the allocation of 4 billion kroner in aid to Ukraine, which will be directed to the energy sector and the functioning of the Ukrainian state.
“Today in Kyiv, it is 16 degrees below zero. We can only imagine how cold it is when the electricity disappears, often for six hours at a time. This is money that Ukraine desperately needs and needs now. Several times a week, Russia attacks the infrastructure that provides electricity to ordinary people in Ukraine. Ensuring that Ukrainians can keep warm, cook food and live their lives more or less as usual is very important for them to be able to continue to endure this war. A war they are fighting on behalf of all of us,” Eide said.
It is noted that Norway is in constant dialogue with the authorities in Kyiv and other stakeholders regarding the distribution of Norwegian support to the energy sector. The goal is to meet Ukraine’s needs and share the risks. It is important to support energy production and strengthen the resilience of the energy sector.
‘It is necessary to finance the purchase of gas that can be delivered quickly. At the same time, it is necessary to repair damaged infrastructure and purchase spare parts,’ Eide explained.
Norway’s contribution will be channelled through partners such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Energy Community, which aims to extend the EU’s internal energy market to third countries such as Ukraine. This has been agreed with other key donors.
The official exchange rate on Monday was 1 Norwegian krone to 4.2606 hryvnia (or about $0.1).
Ukrainian bakery chain Lviv Croissants is entering the Norwegian market, according to the chain’s Instagram page.
It is specified that the first outlet will open in Oslo (Arbeidersamfunnets Plass, 1) on November 16, 2025.
According to the company’s website, the brand entered the European market in September 2022.
Currently, the chain has 178 outlets throughout Ukraine, 11 in Poland, and one each in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. In April 2025, the Lviv Croissants chain opened its first establishment in South Korea. Korean franchisees invested about $250,000 in the bakery, and the total investment in the opening was about $500,000.
