Ukraine and Norway are entering a new stage of cooperation. Volodymyr Zelensky and Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre signed in Kyiv a declaration on a strategic partnership and a new defense agreement under the “Drone Deal.” The cooperation is to cover defense, energy, and the resilience of both countries.
Norway also announced that it will maintain a huge level of support for Ukraine. The government in Oslo wants to propose to parliament NOK 85 billion in support also in 2027. Most of the funds are still to go to military purposes.
“Drone Deal.” Norwegians want to draw on Ukrainian experience
The new agreement is not limited to supplying Ukraine with weapons. Norway wants to jointly develop defense technologies and the defense industry with Ukraine, and to draw on the experience Ukrainians have gained during the war.
The “Drone Deal” may include the development of new defense technologies, research, supply chains, cooperation between companies, and the exchange of operational experience. Drones and unmanned systems are of particular importance.
This is a continuation of already very strong Norwegian involvement. In 2026 alone, Norway allocated NOK 85 billion to Ukraine: NOK 70 billion for military aid and NOK 15 billion for civilian and humanitarian support. More than NOK 12 billion from the military portion was earmarked for drones and autonomous systems.
What’s more, the cooperation is also beginning to work in the opposite direction – Ukrainian drone production is already being developed on Norwegian territory.
The partnership has three main pillars
According to the Norwegian government, the strategic partnership focuses on defence, energy and national resilience.
In energy, Norway is to continue helping Ukraine protect critical infrastructure, repair facilities destroyed during Russian attacks, and reduce the vulnerability of Ukraine’s energy system to further strikes.
Norway’s support programme for Ukraine is already multi-year in nature. The Nansen Programme has been extended to 2030, and its current financial framework amounts to NOK 274.5 billion.
NOK 85 billion also in 2027
The most important new financial declaration is the announcement of maintaining the record level of assistance.
Jonas Gahr Støre’s government wants Norway to allocate another NOK 85 billion to Ukraine in 2027. The proposal must be submitted to the Storting. A detailed breakdown between military and civilian aid is to be determined later, but Oslo is already announcing that most of the money will still be allocated to military support, including purchases from Ukraine’s defence industry.
This shows a significant change in relations between the two countries: Norway no longer wants to be only a provider of aid. Oslo and Kyiv are building long-term defence, technological and energy cooperation that is to function also after the current phase of the war ends.
Source: Government of Norway – strategic partnership with Ukraine, Government of Norway – support of NOK 85 billion in 2027, Office of the President of Ukraine.
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