Norway pledges $9 bn as Baltic, Nordic leaders gather in Kyiv

AFP | Kyiv

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Norway will give $9 billion to Kyiv next year, its prime minister said yesterday, as the leaders of Baltic and Nordic countries gathered in Kyiv in a show of support.

Kyiv will on Monday host a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing -- a French-British-led initiative -- to discuss how to ramp up both support for Ukraine and pressure on Russia to halt its invasion ahead of the winter.

"Norway's support to Ukraine next year will be at the level of this year: $9 billion dollars, a record high," Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store told reporters.

Oslo said the majority of the support would go to Ukraine's military.

Kyiv has faced huge financial shortfalls since Russia invaded in 2022. The invasion has destroyed swathes of the country, forced millions out of their homes and killed thousands of civilians.

Zelensky said Sunday that his army has a $27-billion deficit, without giving precise details.

He urged the European Union to advance payments on part of a 90-billion-euro ($105 billion) loan to cover the gap this year.

Without some $10 billion by the end of the year, his soldiers will not have enough weapons, the Ukrainian leader warned.