Since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, Norway has doubled its aid to Putin’s closest allies. Never have they received as much money through the Norwegian aid budget as under Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide.

In 2015, the year after Russia’s annexation of Crimea, Norwegian aid to what are regarded as Russia’s closest military and strategic allies stood at NOK 626 million. Thereafter, it has increased sharply. In 2023 it surged to NOK 1.3 billion – and stood at NOK 1.1 billion in 2024. In total, Russia’s allies have taken NOK 9.3 billion from the Norwegian aid budget from 2015 to 2024.

Document has reviewed the list of recipients.

Norway’s contributions to Russia’s allies, via the aid budget, after the annexation of Crimea. Source: Norad/Aid in figures

“CRINK”

The CRINK axis (China, Russia, Iran, North Korea), in which Russia is the only country that has not received direct aid from Norway, has received over one billion kroner through the aid budget over the past ten years.

Belarus, with the dictator Aleksandr Lukashenko, is Putin’s closest ally in Europe. Aid to this country has been moderate, but during Støre’s term in office it has increased from NOK 4 million in 2021 to NOK 20 million in 2024.

“Ve-Cu-Nic”

Russia’s allies on the Latin American continent – Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, which we refer to as “Ve-Cu-Nic” – have received over NOK 800 million over the past ten years.

Venezuela is regarded as clearly Russia’s most important strategic partner, with extensive military, energy, and political cooperation. Historically, Russia has supplied Venezuela with weapons. The countries conduct joint military exercises. The strategic partnership between Russia and Venezuela was ratified last year.

With Nicaragua, Russia also maintains military and security cooperation described as very close, involving arms deliveries, intelligence, and joint military exercises.

Cuba’s cooperation with Russia is historically conditioned, originating from the Cold War, but remains strategically important.

Weapons for gold and diamonds

The AES alliance (Alliances des États du Sahel) consists of the countries Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. These three, which constitute the so-called Sahel region, have military juntas that have broken with France and the West and turned to Russia as their primary security partner.

This is the most concrete and far-reaching cooperation Russia has in Africa. Russia offers military assistance in exchange for minerals. The AES countries have received more than NOK 4 billion in aid from Norway over the past ten years.

With the Central African Republic (CAR), Russia has long-standing and close security cooperation. Here, Russia receives gold and diamonds in exchange for military assistance. More than NOK 600 million in Norwegian aid has also found its way here over the past ten years.

Sudan and Libya are important for military and maritime access to the African continent. Russia is to establish a naval base in Port Sudan in the Red Sea. Sudan is also a country in which the Støre government has invested heavily, with a fivefold increase in aid over the past ten years. In 2023 and 2024, Norwegian aid to Sudan exceeded NOK 500 million by a considerable margin.

In Libya, Russia has strong ties to the warlord Khalifa Haftar, in the eastern part of the country. Russia contributes weapons and advisers and uses this as a foothold in the Mediterranean. In 2016, Norway resumed aid to Libya after a couple of years’ pause. In the period 2016–2024, Libya has received NOK 287 million in aid.

Frees up funds for something else

Russia’s allies in Africa and Latin America have one thing in common: they receive Russian weapons, intelligence, and military expertise in exchange for gold, diamonds, and other minerals, and provide Russia with a strategic foothold on these continents. The same countries receive billions through the Norwegian aid budget.

One krone given in aid means one krone freed up for something else. It can be used for weapons, repression, terror, or nuclear programmes. Most likely something that does not serve Western interests, given the strategic cooperation.

Document has therefore put the necessary questions to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as follows:

Why has Norway given NOK 24.9 billion to the “Axis of Evil” since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 – and doubled the amount after the annexation of Crimea in 2014? (This axis is defined as the countries mentioned in this article.)

Do Norad and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have a different view of the Ukraine war than official Norwegian policy and our European allies?
a. If so: On what is that view based?
b. If not: Why double aid to Russia’s closest allies nevertheless?

Do Norad and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs agree that one krone in aid frees one krone in the recipient country that can be used for something else?
a. If yes: Why do you increase aid nevertheless?
b. If no: Explain?

The answers to these questions are not yet known. But the figures speak for themselves: while the Støre government postures as Ukraine heroes in speeches, Norwegian money flows into the pockets of Putin’s best friends on several continents. Is this naivety, ideology, or sheer hypocrisy? The Norwegian taxpayer and voter deserves an answer.