NATO summit: Norway pledges $93 million to boost Ukraine's air defence

Norway will donate 1 billion crowns ($92.69 million) in support to Ukraine for its air defence, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said at the NATO summit in Washington on Thursday.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Stoere said that the move comes a day after Norway announced to donate six F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine to defend itself from Russian attacks.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in Washington that the gathering will be a celebration and an opportunity for NATO members to make significant decisions about their future.

More aid was headed to Ukraine as the allies bolster Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

A communique said the allies intend to provide Ukraine with at least 40 billion euros ($43.28 billion) in military aid within the next year, but stopped short of the multi-year commitment NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had sought.

The document also strengthened past NATO language on China, calling it a “decisive enabler” of Russia’s war effort in Ukraine and saying Beijing continues to pose systemic challenges to Euro-Atlantic security.

Stoltenberg told reporters it was the first time the 32 allies had jointly labeled China a decisive enabler of Russia’s war and called it an important message.

He said NATO was not an organization that imposes sanctions but added: “At the end of the day, this will be for individual allies to make decisions, but I think the message we send from NATO from this summit is very clear.”

The communique called on China to cease material and political support for Russia’s war effort and expressed concern about China’s space capabilities, referenced the rapid expansion of its nuclear arsenal, and urged Beijing to engage in strategic risk reduction talks.

With inputs from agencies.