Denmark is allowing Ukraine to produce weapons on Danish soil. Now the same is happening with Norway: Ukraine is to be permitted to produce drones on Norwegian soil. How Russia will react to the two Nordic countries being drawn directly into the war is not addressed.

The drone agreement was first announced by Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (Ap) and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyj when the latter was visiting Norway earlier in April.

Now the defence ministries of Norway and Ukraine have signed the agreement framework for the first Norwegian-Ukrainian “Build with Ukraine” project, the Ministry of Defence writes in a press release.

Production in Norway can commence once the necessary export permits have been granted, the ministry emphasises.

– Supporting Ukraine’s defence struggle is the most important thing we do for Norwegian security. This is a cooperation from which both countries benefit, says Minister of Defence Tore O. Sandvik (Ap) in the press release. (NTB)

However, nothing is said about whether this increases the risk for Norway and Denmark. If Norwegian and Danish territory becomes the site of weapons production—weapons that kill Russian soldiers—it is reasonable to assume that Russia will regard Norway/Denmark as participants in the war.

Has this been considered in the Storting/Folketing?

Norway has allocated NOK 12 billion to the drone programme.