Norway to donate $153M for Czech-led initiative to buy ammunition for Ukraine

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said this in a statement on Thursday, Ukrinform reports, citing Reuters.

"Ukraine urgently needs large quantities of artillery ammunition to withstand the Russian war of aggression," Stoere said.

According to a statement posted on the Norwegian government's website, Norway is also joining an air defense capability coalition for Ukraine.

"It is completely natural for Norway to be part of such an air defense coalition. Norwegian NASAMS contributes to saving Ukrainian lives and protecting critical infrastructure every day," said Norwegian Defense Minister Bjorn Arild Gram.

This winter, several capability coalitions have been established for military support to Ukraine. The government has decided on Norwegian participation in three such coalitions, the maritime coalition which Norway leads together with Great Britain, the F-16 coalition in which Norway will donate F-16 combat aircraft and train Ukrainian personnel on the system, and the air defense coalition, which is led by Germany and France.

"We have said we will support where it is most needed. Air defense is high on Ukraine's priority list. It is absolutely necessary to protect military departments, cities and critical infrastructure needed to keep society running," Gram said.

Czech President Petr Pavel announced at the Munich Security Conference that Prague had found about 800,000 rounds of artillery ammunition (500,000 rounds of 155mm ammunition and 300,000 rounds of 122mm ammunition) in third countries, which the EU members could purchase for Ukraine. Several countries have already supported this initiative.