Galang Support, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy Arrives In Norway After A Visit To Finland

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy/PHOTO via X @ZelenskyyUa

JAKARTA - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Norway on Thursday for an official visit after traveling to Finland. This trip was carried out by Zelenskyy amid intensive diplomatic efforts to end the war with Russia.

Zelenskyy after speaking with US President Donald Trump, said the halt to energy attacks in the war could be carried out quickly, but warned Ukraine would respond in the same way if Moscow violated the provisions of a limited ceasefire.

Zelenskyy and Trump agreed on Wednesday, March 19, to work together to end Russia's war with Ukraine, in what the White House called a "fatasmatic" one-hour phone call.

Like other Nordic and Baltic countries, Norway is a loyal supporter of Ukraine.

On March 6, the Norwegian government said it would double its financial support for Kyiv this year, to 85 billion crowns ($8.03 billion) from a planned approved November of 35 billion crowns.

"Norway supports Ukraine," Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said.

"I look forward to a good discussion on how Norway can provide the best support for Ukraine both in the short and long term," he continued.

Jens Stoltenberg, who until October served as head of NATO and is now Norway's finance minister, will hold a meeting with Zelenskyy's delegation along with other Norwegian officials.

Norway is the only European country that can finance increased support for Ukraine from its own cash, not from debt, as the country is home to the world's largest state wealth fund, with assets of $1.8 trillion.

Norwegian wealth funds have seen an increase in revenue from gas sales to Europe as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.