Norway: “Ukraine needs to protect itself from missile attacks and Norway will help”, says Arild Gram

“Ukraine has a critical need to protect itself from missile attacks, and Norway will help,” said Norwegian Defense Minister Bjørn Arild Gram Forsvarsdepartmentet (Norge) about Norway providing Ukraine with two sets of Norwegian Advanced Ground-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) in cooperation with the United States.

Ukraine has a critical need to defend itself against missile attacks, and Norway will assist, says Norway’s minister of defence, Mr Bjørn Arild Gram, that Norway will step forward to provide Ukraine with two complete sets of NASAMS firing units in collaboration with the United States.

They will come in addition to two anti-aircraft missile complexes provided by the United States of America last fall. NASAMS has established itself as an effective air defence system.

Adding two more fire units will significantly improve Ukraine’s ability to defend its cities and critical infrastructure from Russian missile attacks. Norway will also teach Ukrainian staff the maintenance and operation of the system.

Previously, Norway has participated in providing equipment and training on nasams Ukraine as a gift from the United States. These donations were greatly appreciated and helped defeat the missile attacks.

Ongoing Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure underline the need to improve Ukraine’s air defence further. Ukraine has repeatedly appealed to international partners to provide more and better air defence systems, Norwegian Defense Minister Bjorn Arilde Gram said.

It’s been more than a year since the Russian regime began a war against Ukraine. The war had colossal consequences. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians and soldiers were killed. Millions were forced to leave their homes. Significant territories of the country have turned into ruins.

“Devastation is hard to realize. Seeing it with your own eyes is profound, Gram says”.

Stortinget’s Norwegian parliament recently approved a perennial programme named after Frityof Nansen, a Norwegian diplomat, scientist and polar explorer who managed large-scale humanitarian aid to Russia and Ukraine since World War I.

According to the Nansen Program, Norway will provide NOK 15 billion ($1.6 billion) annually between 2023 and 2027. In 2023, half of the grant will go to military assistance.

Norway has made a significant contribution to Ukraine after the Russian invasion, and Norway will continue its assistance in the coming years, emphasizes Norwegian Defense Minister Bjorn Arild Gram.