As of January 1, 2024, the Norwegian government’s decision to permit direct sales of weapons and defense products to Ukraine has come into effect.
Norway can now sell its weapons to Ukraine
The Norwegian government has decided to allow direct sales of arms and defense products from the Norwegian defense industry to Ukrainian defense authorities, provided that the export meets the requirements of needs and end-user control.
Supporting Ukraine is important for the security of Norway and Europe. “We must anticipate the possibility of the continuation of illegal aggressive warfare. Therefore, the government has decided to permit direct sales of weapons and related defense products from the Norwegian defense industry to Ukraine,” stated Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide.
Now, Norwegian companies can apply to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a license to export for direct sales of arms and defense products to Ukraine.
The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicates that all applications will be carefully assessed, and control will continue to be exercised within strict frameworks.
The evaluation of applications will be based on the following criteria:
Direct sales of weapons and defense products can only be made to the Ukrainian government.
Applications must include documentation and state guarantees regarding the final use and end-user, as well as provisions for re-export.
Transportation and delivery of weapons and related defense products must occur through secure and established logistic routes.
Applications will be assessed according to Norway’s export control norms and commitments under international law, including the UN Arms Trade Treaty.
In total, in 2023, Norway provided approximately 11 billion Norwegian kroner in military support to Ukraine.
It is worth noting that, according to the decision of the Norwegian Parliament since 1959, the country does not sell weapons and ammunition to regions where there is war or a threat of war. At the same time, the ‘export of weapons and ammunition from Norway should only occur after a careful assessment of the external and internal political situation in the respective area.”