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.
Norway plans to allocate NOK 2 billion in 2026 to finance a new package of military equipment from the US for Ukraine as part of the PURL initiative, according to the Norwegian government’s press service.
“Ukraine depends on continued military and civilian support in its struggle to defend itself against Russia. It is of great importance that several countries are coming together to provide funding to help meet Ukraine’s military needs. Norway is now joining forces with a number of other European countries to finance a military support package that will provide high-priority defense equipment for Ukraine. We are committed to providing NOK 2 billion for the package, which is being coordinated by NATO,” said Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.
The contact group meeting will take place ahead of the NATO defense ministers’ meeting on October 15. Several European countries are expected to coordinate their planned contributions to Ukraine, including support provided under the new Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative. Norway has also contributed 1.5 billion Norwegian kroner to finance the previous support package under the PURL initiative.
“It is important that European countries stand together and continue to provide support so that together we can finance the delivery of military equipment needed by Ukraine, such as drones, artillery, and advanced air defense systems. Under the PURL mechanism, the US provides NATO with lists of available weapons and military equipment. Allies, including Norway, then contribute to financing the purchase of this equipment for Ukraine,” said Defense Minister Tor Sandvik.
NATO coordinates shipments to ensure that weapons arrive in Ukraine as quickly as possible. For security reasons, the specific contents of each package are not disclosed.
“Norway has now contributed to the financing of two such support packages, and the government will work to ensure that as many allied countries as possible participate in this important initiative to support Ukraine. The equipment arrives quickly and helps
Ukrainians defend the front line and protect critical infrastructure more effectively. Supporting Ukraine’s fight for freedom is not only important for Ukraine’s defense; it is also crucial for the defense of Norwegian and European security,” Sandvik emphasized.
Most Ukrainians express a positive attitude toward Norway. This is evidenced by the results of a sociological survey conducted by Active Group in cooperation with the Experts Club think tank.
According to the survey, 77.7% of Ukrainians have a positive attitude towards Norway (38.7% — completely positive, 39.0% — mostly positive). Only 1.3% of respondents expressed a negative attitude (1.0% — completely negative, 0.3% — mostly negative). A neutral position towards Norway was expressed by 20.0% of respondents, while another 1.0% admitted that they were not familiar with this country.
“The high level of sympathy for Norway is explained not only by Ukraine’s traditional support in the context of the war, but also by the country’s stable image with high social standards, a developed economy, and one of the highest standards of living in the world,” emphasized Active Group CEO Oleksandr Pozniy.
Experts Club co-founder Maksim Urakin emphasized the importance of economic cooperation between the two countries.
“Despite a significant trade imbalance, Ukraine actively cooperates with Norway. In the first six months of 2025, trade turnover amounted to $231.9 million. At the same time, Ukrainian exports amounted to only $16.5 million, while imports amounted to $215.4 million. The negative balance exceeded $198.9 million, but the presence of Norwegian energy and technology goods is of great importance to the Ukrainian economy.”
Thus, Ukrainian society highly values Norway’s role as a reliable partner, and trade dynamics confirm mutual interest in developing relations.
The full video can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgC9TPnMoMI&t
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ACTIVE GROUP, EXPERTS CLUB, NORWAY, Pozniy, SOCIOLOGY, TRADE, UKRAINE, УРАКИН
