Berlin: Norway has announced its readiness to co-fund Germany's efforts to provide five Patriot missile systems to Ukraine, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store stated following discussions with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
According to Deutsche Welle, Store made these remarks during a press conference in Berlin, highlighting Norway's commitment to sharing the financial responsibility of the defense initiative. "This is the most immediate operational solution we can provide," Store emphasized, underlining Norway's significant contribution to Ukraine's defense. Chancellor Merz expressed gratitude for Norway's willingness to share in the costs, acknowledging the potential need for replacement purchases.
Store also noted Norway's previous support to Ukraine with the Norwegian-made NASAMS air defense systems, while expressing a need for clarity from the United States regarding its role in the initiative. He referenced former President Trump's supportive stance but stressed the necessity for clear communication on the matter.
In another development, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine and Russia are set to engage in a new round of talks on Wednesday. Previous meetings in Istanbul achieved limited success, only managing agreements on prisoner-of-war exchanges. The upcoming talks will focus on furthering negotiations for the return of Ukrainian POWs and abducted children, with plans to lay groundwork for a potential meeting between Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's domestic security service, the SBU, has detained an official from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) on suspicion of spying for Russia. The suspect, who remains unnamed, allegedly transferred classified information to a Russian contact. The SBU also arrested NABU official Ruslan Maghamedrasulov for suspected business ties to Russia. NABU has criticized the government's actions, claiming searches were conducted without court orders and extended to minor allegations.
In the UK, the British Foreign Office has imposed new sanctions targeting Russia's "shadow fleet" of oil tankers. The sanctions aim to disrupt Russia's oil export operations, which are crucial to funding its war in Ukraine. Foreign Secretary David Lammy conveyed the UK's determination to apply economic pressure on Russia and support Ukraine's sovereignty, stating that allies will not remain passive as serious peace negotiations continue to stall.