Norway to provide more than $150 million to buy ammunition for Ukraine under Czech initiative

According to the prime minister's statement, the government had previously allocated up to NOK 2 billion ($191 million) to increase the production capacity of the country's defense industry.

In total, in 2023, Norway provided Ukraine with about NOK 10 billion ($956 million) in military aid in the form of donations from the defense sector and industry, grants to international funds and mechanisms, and training for Ukrainian personnel.

The government has also made a number of important decisions on military support for Ukraine for 2024 and is constantly communicating with allies and partners on measures that will help meet Ukraine's priority military needs.

Czech ammunition procurement initiative

In February, the Czech Republic announced that it had found sources of supply for hundreds of thousands of shells for Ukraine from abroad. This can be done in a few weeks, but the process requires funding of $1.5 billion.

The found ammunition includes 500,000 155-mm shells and another 300,000 122-mm shells. These stockpiles were found in an unnamed country outside the EU.

The Czech Republic called on the United States, Germany, and Sweden to help with the purchase of the shells. The Financial Times reported that some EU countries have already provided funds. In particular, Belgium will allocate 200 million euros, and the Netherlands will give 250 million euros.

Lithuania and France have also joined the initiative.