The Norwegian government has allowed the country’s defense companies to directly sell to Ukraine. It allows the Ukrainian authorities to procure necessary weapons systems from Norwegian firms, not relying solely on government donations. Oslo provided 11-billion Norwegian Kroner ($1.06 billion) in military assistance to Ukraine in 2023. It is also part of the F-16 coalition that has pledged to send the Lockheed Martin fighter jet to the country.
Under a 1959 Stortling (Norwegian Parliament) decision, Norway is forbidden to sell “arms and ammunition to areas where there is war or the threat of war, or to countries where there is civil war.” It emphasizes that “the export of weapons and ammunition from Norway must only take place after a careful assessment of the foreign and domestic political conditions in the area concerned. This assessment must be decisive for whether exports are to take place.”
The exception for Ukraine does not change Oslo’s existing defense export mechanism, the government underlined. “The fact that the government now allows direct sales to Ukraine does not mean that we will allow direct sales of defense material to countries at war on a general basis,” the Norwegian government wrote, citing the country’s foreign minister. “The government’s decision applies to Ukraine and is justified by the absolutely extraordinary security political situation we now find ourselves in, together with our allies.”
Applicants will be granted export licenses on a “case-by-case” basis after thorough assessment, the government added. Applications will be assessed in line with “Norwegian export control regulations and Norway’s obligations under international law, including the UN Arms Trade Treaty.” Necessary conditions for applicants include: sales only to Ukrainian authorities, “documentation and official assurances about end use and end user, as well as a re-export clause,” and transport through established logistics routes.
