Norway donating rocket launchers to Ukraine: Here’s what we know so far

Norway will be sending three multiple-launch rocket systems to Ukraine, following similar decisions made by Britain, Germany and the United States, to fight against Russian forces.

“We must continue to support Ukraine so that they can continue their fight for freedom and independence,” Norwegian Defence Minister Bjorn Arild Gram said in a statement.

“Our guns require extensive upgrading, therefore we have agreed with the British that they receive Norwegian guns so that they can send some of theirs to Ukraine,” the minister added, hailing “good cooperation between allies.”

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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also made similar commitments as he arrived for the second day of a NATO summit in Madrid. He said that NATO allies will continue to supply Ukraine with weapons for as long as necessary.

“It is good that the countries that are gathered here but many others, too, make their contributions so Ukraine can defend itself – by providing financial means, humanitarian aid but also by providing the weapons that Ukraine urgently needs,” he told reporters.

“The message is: We will continue to do so – and to do this intensively – for as long as it is necessary to enable Ukraine to defend itself,” he added.

The decision was taken as NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said they pose a direct threat from Russia. Amid concerns, NATO plans to launch the largest revamp of its defence and deterrence capabilities.

Germany’s chancellor vowed to continue the sanctions against Russia if the offensive in Ukraine still continues.

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“All the sanctions we imposed over Crimea are still there. All the sanctions we imposed because of the Russian-incited uprising in Donbas are still there. And the same will go for the decisions taken now, which are much more severe,” Olaf Scholz said at the closing news conference of the three-day G7 summit in Germany.

“There is only one way out: for Putin to accept that his plans in Ukraine will not succeed,” he added.