Norway will allocate 10 billion Norwegian kroner ($937 million) in 2025 to help equip and train a Ukrainian military brigade, Norwegian Defense Minister Tore O. Sandvik said on Thursday.
The eight Nordic and Baltic counties pledged to train and equip Ukrainian troops in February, on the third anniversary of the full-scale invasion
Speaking at the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting in Brussels, Sandvik said Norway will take the lead role in training, working in close coordination with Ukrainian authorities and regional allies.
The project responds to a direct request from Kyiv and will focus on modular “building blocks” — smaller military units designed to integrate into Ukraine’s existing brigades rather than forming an entirely new one.
“Norway stands united with Europe for stronger support for Ukraine — politically, economically, and militarily,” Sandvik said. “Our contribution includes equipment from our own defense stockpiles and acquisitions from Ukrainian and international industry. Not least, we will contribute with training.”
Brigades typically consist of 3,000 to 5,000 troops and are structured to operate independently with a range of combat capabilities. The new initiative is described as scalable and flexible, tailored to Ukraine’s evolving battlefield needs.
Under Norway’s leadership, the Nordic and Baltic nations will coordinate closely with Ukrainian officials to ensure the equipment and training align with operational requirements.
Sandvik emphasized that the initiative aims to reinforce existing Ukrainian units rather than replicate controversial past attempts to form entirely new Western-backed brigades.
The 155th Brigade, a previous Western-supported formation, faced scrutiny after reports of poor management and mass desertions, despite training and equipment support from France. An investigation by Ukrainian media outlet Censor.net found that over 1,700 soldiers went absent without leave from the brigade before engaging in combat.
Norway pledges $8 billion to Ukraine
In Brussels, Sandvik also met bilaterally with Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and signed agreements for Norway to join two multinational initiatives — a drone coalition and an electronic warfare coalition.
Separately, Norway joined a British-led $585 million military aid package announced this week. The United Kingdom will contribute £350 million ($455 million), while Norway will provide £100 million ($130 million) through the UK-led International Fund for Ukraine.
The package includes support for equipment repair, radar systems, anti-tank mines, and hundreds of thousands of drones.
Oslo also announced a $454 million commitment earlier this week to procure artillery shells for Ukrainian forces.
Norway’s military support is part of the broader Nansen program, which will see total Norwegian aid to Ukraine rise to 85 billion kroner ($8 billion) in 2025. Of this, 72.5 billion kroner is earmarked for military assistance. The total allocation for the program between 2023 and 2030 now stands at 205 billion kroner.
“The support will go to materiel most critical for Ukraine’s defense — including maritime security, air defense, drones, and autonomous systems,” Sandvik said. “We will also deepen cooperation with the Ukrainian defense industry.”
