Norway to provide Ukraine with military assistance worth about 7 billion euros

Norway will provide Ukraine with a five-year program of military assistance worth about €7 billion.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt said this at a press conference in Oslo on the eve of an informal meeting of foreign ministers of NATO member states and Sweden, TASS reports.

"Norway will provide Ukraine with the program of military assistance named after Nansen, which will last for 5 years and its volume will be about €7 billion," she said.

The Norwegian foreign minister also stressed that NATO foreign ministers will discuss the provision of humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine and will also discuss preparations for the NATO summit in Vilnius in July.

Asked whether NATO countries were discussing security guarantees or fast-track membership in the alliance in the run-up to the summit, she said that the focus should now be on providing Kyiv with military aid, while as for accession, the issue should be decided after the military conflict is over. "NATO's doors are open to Ukraine. It is up to Ukraine and NATO to decide on its accession," the foreign minister added.