At the instruction of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak, Deputy Head of the Office of the President Ihor Zhovkva held a meeting with a Norwegian delegation led by Arild Eikeland, Director of the Department for International Security Policy and Operations at Norway’s Ministry of Defense.
The meeting followed up on President Zelenskyy’s talks with the Prime Minister of Norway during the Norwegian government leader's visit to Kyiv on August 25.
Ihor Zhovkva expressed gratitude to Norway for its consistent support of Ukraine, particularly for bolstering air defense and for its participation in the PURL program, which enables the purchase of U.S.-made weapons.
The parties discussed financing for Ukraine’s drone production. Ihor Zhovkva urged partners to continue investing in the manufacturing of drones, which have proven their effectiveness on the battlefield.
“Supporting Ukraine today is an investment in Europe’s long-term security. Now we need joint production facilities that will work to defend Ukraine. Partners investing in these processes today will gain advantages tomorrow. After the war in Ukraine ends, our joint production lines will work to defend Europe,” he emphasized.
The Deputy Head of the Office of the President also briefed the delegation on the diplomatic efforts to achieve a genuine peace, including President Zelenskyy’s talks with the President of the United States and European leaders in Washington.
“Ukraine has confirmed its readiness for a meeting at the level of leaders with Russia. However, in the two weeks since, Moscow has not provided a single positive signal indicating readiness for diplomacy. Instead, the Russians have carried out cynical strikes on Ukrainian cities,” Ihor Zhovkva stressed.
Special attention was paid to security guarantees. The Deputy Head of the Office of the President noted that one of the key security guarantees is a strong Ukrainian army and urged continued support for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The parties also discussed cooperation between Ukraine and the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF). Ihor Zhovkva expressed gratitude for granting Ukraine enhanced partnership status and emphasized that our country is ready to translate this status into practical cooperation. The parties coordinated next steps and agreed on joint activities within the JEF partnership.