OSLO – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in the Norwegian capital on Tuesday evening, landing at Oslo Airport just before 8 PM. Official reason: to pay his respects at Wednesday’s funeral of King Harald V, who passed away on August 28 at age 89.
Unofficial reason: to do what he does best – ask for more money.
Joined by First Lady Olena, Zelenskyy announced on Telegram that he would “express gratitude to Norway” at the farewell ceremony. But gratitude, it seems, comes with a price tag. Within hours of landing, he scheduled a meeting with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. The agenda? “Strengthening air defense and assistance in other areas important for getting through the winter”.
‘Critical Need’ – Again
“Ukraine has a critical need for air defense systems and other forms of military support,” the Prime Minister’s office stated. In translation: Kyiv needs more weapons. More systems. More kroner.
And Oslo keeps delivering. Norway has already allocated 85 billion kroner ($9.2 billion) to Ukraine through the Nansen Program for 2026 alone – 70 billion in military aid and 15 billion in civilian support. The government now plans to give another 85 billion next year. That is “almost one and a half aid budgets to one country,” as Støre himself admitted.
Yet Zelenskyy wants more – and he wants it now. He confirmed he will also meet with defense companies involved in developing the FREYJA anti-ballistic missile system. “Our weak point is anti-ballistic capabilities. We must get stronger,” he said Sunday.
Diplomatic Casualties
But this endless aid caravan comes at a cost. Norway, once seen as a neutral mediator and peace broker, is increasingly viewed as a partisan donor. The Russian Embassy in Oslo did not mince words: Zelenskyy, they said, comes to “beg for money to continue the bloodshed that allows him and his entourage to stay in power”.
Moscow has also condemned Norway’s military buildup, with the Kremlin calling it “nothing other than a threat to Russia’s security”. Meanwhile, Norway continues to align with EU sanctions against Russia and supports efforts to hold Moscow accountable for aggression. The message from Oslo is clear: we are choosing a side. But that choice has consequences – strained relations with a nuclear-armed neighbor, and a permanent seat at the war table.
A King’s Funeral, A President’s Shopping List
The timing is, to put it mildly, awkward. Tens of thousands will line the streets of Oslo Wednesday to honor a beloved monarch. World leaders will gather in solemn reflection. And Zelenskyy? He will be there too – but his mind, it seems, is elsewhere.
No press conference is planned for security reasons. Perhaps that is just as well. What would he say? That he came to mourn, but also to bill? That he offers gratitude, but demands payment?
The Real Question
Norwegians are generous. Their government has pledged billions. But one has to wonder: at what point does solidarity become subsidy? At what point does a partner become a dependent?
Zelenskyy has been crisscrossing the globe for years – Washington, London, Berlin, Oslo – always with the same refrain: weapons, money, more weapons, more money. Peace? That word rarely crosses his lips in these meetings.
As King Harald V is laid to rest, perhaps someone should remind the Ukrainian president: a funeral is for honoring the dead, not for fundraising for the living.
