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Norway’s PM says Nordics united in support of Ukraine

Frazer Norwell
Frazer Norwell - [email protected]
Norway’s PM says Nordics united in support of Ukraine
Norway has said that Ukraine retains the full support of the Nordic countries. Pictured: Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (L), Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Finnish President Sauli Niinistoe, Icelandic Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store attend a press conference of the Nordic-Ukrainian Summit at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Finland, on May 3, 2023. Photo by Mads Claus Rasmussen / Ritzau Scanpix / AFP

The Nordic countries will continue to back Ukraine in its war against Russia and support its applications to join NATO and the EU, Norwegian PM Jonas Gahr Støre said at a summit Wednesday.

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The leaders of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland met for a summit in Helsinki on Wednesday and were joined by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky.

During his visit, Zelensky thanked the Nordic countries for their support but asked for more weapons and for their delivery to be accelerated.

Nordic countries have so far delivered weapons worth a total of €4.4 billion to Ukraine and €1.5bn in humanitarian and civil aid.

At the meeting in Helsinki, the leaders of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Ukraine issued a joint statement outlining their cooperation.

“The Nordic countries remain unwavering in their commitment to Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. The Nordic countries will continue their political, financial, humanitarian and military support to Ukraine for as long as it takes – individually, together as the Nordics, as well as through international cooperation in the European Union, in NATO, in the United Nations and in other formats,” the statement said.

At a press conference, Norwegian PM Jonas Gahr Støre reiterated Norway’s support for Ukraine.

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“The Nordic countries stand by your side on the way towards European integration and on the way into NATO. When peace comes, it must be on the terms of the country that has been attacked,” he said.

Zelensky said at the press conference that he expects fighter jets to be given to Ukraine due to a planned counteroffensive.

However, Støre said it wasn’t relevant to discuss the delivery of jets at the summit.

“It is not a relevant topic for us today. The whole question must be considered in a much larger context, where the big states have to make the decision,” he said.

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