Zelensky meets Nordic leaders in Oslo in bid to bolster support
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Oslo on Wednesday to meet with leaders of the five Nordic nations, key backers in Kyiv's fight against Russia's invasion.
With the counter-offensive launched by Ukraine in July failing to yield the anticipated results, Zelensky is trying to rebuild support among Ukraine's allies amid growing dissent.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said he wished Zelensky "a warm welcome to Norway" and added that Norway would "continue to support the defence of Ukraine".
The Ukrainian president was to hold talks first with Støre before taking part in a meeting with the leaders of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.
His surprise visit to Oslo will be aimed at cementing the support of the Nordic countries, which have been major donors since the start of the war in February 2022.
Earlier this year Norway announced a civilian and military aid package of 6.8 billion euros ($7.3 billion) to Ukraine over 2023-2027.
The Scandinavian country and neighbouring Denmark have provided Ukraine with tanks, weapons and munitions and have pledged to donate F-16 fighters to the Ukrainian army.
Sweden is considering donating Gripen fighter jets.
Zelensky has visited a number of countries in recent weeks to try and drum up fresh support and funding.
After a visit to Argentina where he attended the inauguration of libertarian President Javier Milei on Sunday, Zelensky travelled to the United States in a last-ditch plea for more military aid.
He left Washington without managing to convince a divided Congress to approve a new $60 billion aid package, saying only that he had received "positive" signals.
US President Joe Biden, speaking after talks with Zelensky on Tuesday, warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin was banking on the United States abandoning Ukraine.
"We must, we must, we must prove him wrong," said Biden. He said letting Ukraine lose would embolden Putin "and would-be aggressors everywhere".
Biden said he had approved a further $200 million in US military aid to tide Ukraine over for coming weeks, with the White House warning that funding could dry up by the end of the year without a deal in Congress.
US Republicans are however insisting that renewing Ukraine aid will depend on the Democrats first agreeing to measures on US-Mexico border security and immigration reform – one of the most intractable issues in US politics.
Moscow meanwhile claimed fresh battlefield advances and predicted Tuesday that any new assistance for Kyiv would be a "fiasco".
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With the counter-offensive launched by Ukraine in July failing to yield the anticipated results, Zelensky is trying to rebuild support among Ukraine's allies amid growing dissent.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said he wished Zelensky "a warm welcome to Norway" and added that Norway would "continue to support the defence of Ukraine".
The Ukrainian president was to hold talks first with Støre before taking part in a meeting with the leaders of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.
His surprise visit to Oslo will be aimed at cementing the support of the Nordic countries, which have been major donors since the start of the war in February 2022.
Earlier this year Norway announced a civilian and military aid package of 6.8 billion euros ($7.3 billion) to Ukraine over 2023-2027.
The Scandinavian country and neighbouring Denmark have provided Ukraine with tanks, weapons and munitions and have pledged to donate F-16 fighters to the Ukrainian army.
Sweden is considering donating Gripen fighter jets.
Zelensky has visited a number of countries in recent weeks to try and drum up fresh support and funding.
After a visit to Argentina where he attended the inauguration of libertarian President Javier Milei on Sunday, Zelensky travelled to the United States in a last-ditch plea for more military aid.
He left Washington without managing to convince a divided Congress to approve a new $60 billion aid package, saying only that he had received "positive" signals.
US President Joe Biden, speaking after talks with Zelensky on Tuesday, warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin was banking on the United States abandoning Ukraine.
"We must, we must, we must prove him wrong," said Biden. He said letting Ukraine lose would embolden Putin "and would-be aggressors everywhere".
Biden said he had approved a further $200 million in US military aid to tide Ukraine over for coming weeks, with the White House warning that funding could dry up by the end of the year without a deal in Congress.
US Republicans are however insisting that renewing Ukraine aid will depend on the Democrats first agreeing to measures on US-Mexico border security and immigration reform – one of the most intractable issues in US politics.
Moscow meanwhile claimed fresh battlefield advances and predicted Tuesday that any new assistance for Kyiv would be a "fiasco".
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