Norway has announced its recent contribution of NOK 700 million ($US 61 million) to the multinational initiative at meeting for the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCF) at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on 9 January.
Norway's donation was made in collaboration with the IFU, making up part of an extra £190 million ($US233 million) worth of funding.
Its contribution will reportedly not only go towards drones, but maritime training in Ukraine, in a coalition which it is co-leading with the UK. Other countries to donate extra funding included Denmark, Portugal, Sweden and Germany.
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“Ukraine continues to have a strong need for additional military equipment to defend itself against Russia's war of aggression. Drones are a critical part of this effort, both for protecting critical infrastructure and for use on the front line,” said Norwegian Minister of Defence Bjørn Arild Gram.
The UK announced in a separate statement at the UDCF meeting that a total of 30,000 drones will be sent to Ukraine. £45 million worth of contracts were placed by the International Drone Capability Coalition - a venture co-led by the UK and Latvia. Other countries in this coalition include Denmark, Netherlands, Latvia and Sweden.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly highlighted the critical need for additional drones in the country as it deals with the ongoing Russian threat.
In November 2024, Finnish company Summa Defence established a drone production facility with Ukrainian partners to speed up the production of platforms for Ukraine.