Ukraine and Norway will jointly produce Ukrainian-designed mid-strike drones, with several thousand units planned for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said on April 27.
The initiative follows a defense declaration signed on April 14 in Oslo by President Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, aimed at deepening military cooperation as part of a broader strategic partnership.
“Projects like joint production and guaranteed supply of drones directly strengthen our forces on the battlefield,” said Ukraine’s Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.
He claimed that the partnership enables Norway to manufacture technologies already tested in combat, while Ukraine receives critical equipment needed to regain the initiative on the front line.
The drones will be produced in Norway and then transferred to Ukraine’s military. The project will be financed by Norway through additional funding allocated on top of its previously pledged $7 billion in military assistance for Ukraine in 2026.
The agreement was signed in Kyiv by Norway’s Ambassador to Ukraine Lars Ragnar Aalerud Hansen and Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister for European Integration Serhii Boiev.
The first systems manufactured in Norway are expected to be delivered by summer 2026.
Norwegian Defense Minister Tore Onshuus Sandvik said the cooperation would strengthen both countries’ security and industrial capacity.
“Supporting Ukraine’s fight is the most important thing we do for Norway’s security,” Sandvik said, noting that the project would also help expand Norway’s production capabilities in a critical sector.
The agreement also envisages broader industrial cooperation, including research and development.
Norway has been among Ukraine’s most consistent supporters since Russia’s full-scale invasion, alongside other Nordic and Baltic countries. Oslo has committed approximately $28 billion in long-term support for Ukraine between 2023 and 2030, making it one of Kyiv’s largest donors per capita.
Header image: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store shake hands after signing documents as they meet in the government’s representative building in Oslo, Norway on April 14, 2026. (Cornelius Poppe / NTB / AFP via Getty Images) / Norway OUT
