In Oslo, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska took part in the farewell ceremony for His Majesty King Harald V of Norway, who passed away on August 28.
Together with members of the Norwegian Royal Family, kings, presidents, and prime ministers from countries across Europe and the world, as well as other state representatives, the Head of State joined the funeral procession on foot in honor of Harald V from the Royal Palace to Oslo Cathedral.
At the cathedral, the President and the First Lady took part in the farewell ceremony for the late King of Norway, who will be laid to rest in the chapel at Akershus Fortress.
Harald V ascended the throne on January 17, 1991, and was the oldest monarch in Europe.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy had an audience with King Harald V and members of the Royal Family – Queen Sonja, Crown Prince Haakon, and Crown Princess Mette-Marit – on December 13, 2023, during his official visit to Norway. The Head of State also met three times with Crown Prince Haakon, who became the new King on September 1: on March 20, 2025, and April 15 of this year in Norway, and on May 20 of last year in Kyiv, during the Crown Prince’s first visit to Ukraine.
Ukraine will always be grateful for all the assistance provided by Norway, the Royal Family, the government, and the entire Norwegian people. Since the very beginning of Russia’s full-scale aggression, Norway has supported our country across a wide range of areas – from defense and strengthening air defense to energy. In addition, Norway is the leading contributor to the PURL program, is participating in the implementation of the FREYJA anti-ballistic missile program, is developing a strategic partnership with Ukraine in defense, energy, and resilience, and is cooperating with our country under the Drone Deal. The total amount of support provided stands at $22.5 billion.
