President Volodymyr Zelensky is visiting Norway and Sweden on Wednesday – with an announcement on “defense export” planned in the latter, according to Stockholm.
However, at present it is unclear if the export is coming from Ukraine or Sweden.
According to the Norwegian government, Zelensky met Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre briefly at the military section of the Oslo International Airport as part of the Ukrainian leader’s ongoing European trip.
First Lady Olena Zelenska is also traveling and will be in Norway for an unspecified program alongside Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, according to an initial press release from Oslo, which also hinted at support for Kyiv that “meets the needs on the ground in Ukraine” without elaboration.
Later, in a subsequent press release, Oslo mentioned support in the energy sector as Ukraine’s energy system comes under renewed Russian attacks.
“Norway is providing an additional NOK 1.5 billion [$150 million] in funding to secure access to electricity and heating for people in Ukraine,” it says.
“The funding from Norway is being channeled through the EU’s Ukraine Investment Framework (UIF), which seeks to mobilize public and private investments for the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine following the destruction caused by Russia’s war of aggression,” it adds.
Oslo said the funding “comes in addition to the support for gas purchases already provided in 2025.” In August, Norway provided around $100 million to Ukraine’s state-owned gas production company Naftogaz to import natural gas and help secure heating and electricity.
Visit to Sweden
Later on Wednesday, Zelensky is set to meet Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in Sweden, according to a Swedish government press release.
The press release says the two will hold a joint press conference at 3 p.m. local time (4 p.m. Kyiv time) to “make an announcement in the area of defense exports” without elaboration.
“During their meeting, the leaders are expected to discuss Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and bilateral defense cooperation between Sweden and Ukraine,” the press release adds.
Swedish Minister for Energy, Business and Industry Ebba Busch, Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson and Minister for Education and Integration Simona Mohamsson will also be in attendance, it says.
It is unclear if the defense exports mean those from Ukraine or Sweden.
Zelensky has hinted at easing rules to export Ukraine’s surplus arms production to help fund the defense efforts, while Kyiv and Stockholm have also discussed the transfer of Swedish Gripen fighters for at least two years.
In late September, First Deputy Defense Minister Lt. Gen. Ivan Havrylyuk confirmed that the Gripen is among the jets Kyiv will receive when asked by a reporter, though Kyiv and Stockholm later refuted the report.
The transfer of Saab JAS 39 Gripens – light, single-engine supersonic multirole fighters – from Sweden to Ukraine has been in discussion since at least September 2024, with Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonsson offering to provide Ukrainian pilots with “familiarization training” as early as May 2023.
