Zelenskyy arrives in Norway for King Harald V's farewell and talks with Støre on air defense
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska arrived in Norway on September 8 to attend the farewell ceremony for King Harald V. Zelenskyy met Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre in Oslo, with talks focused on strengthening Ukrainian air defense, interceptor missile needs, the FREYJA anti-ballistic program, and preparations for the winter.
Key points
- Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska arrived in Norway on September 8.
- Zelenskyy met Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre in Oslo on the day of arrival.
- The leaders discussed strengthening Ukraine's air defense, including Ukraine's needs for interceptor missiles.
- They also discussed continued joint work on the FREYJA anti-ballistic missile program.
- The two leaders discussed preparations for Ukraine to get through the winter.
- Zelenskyy expressed condolences to Norway over the death of King Harald V.
- King Harald V died on August 28 at age 89; his farewell ceremony is scheduled for September 9 at 13:00 local time in Oslo Cathedral.
Why it matters
The visit combined a state ceremonial function with substantive bilateral talks on military assistance. Air defense and interceptor missile supplies are central Ukrainian wartime needs, particularly as winter approaches, and the FREYJA program links Ukraine and Norway's defense industries. The trip underscores continued high-level engagement between Ukraine and a key Northern European supporter.
What happened
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska arrived in Norway on September 8 to attend the farewell ceremony for King Harald V, scheduled for September 9 at 13:00 local time in Oslo Cathedral. On the day of arrival, Zelenskyy held bilateral talks with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre in Oslo. According to Ukrainian sources, the agenda focused on continued support for Ukraine, with priority on strengthening air defense and assistance for getting through the winter. The leaders discussed Ukraine's needs for interceptor missiles and further joint work on the FREYJA anti-ballistic missile program. Zelenskyy and Støre were also scheduled to meet with companies developing FREYJA. Zelenskyy expressed condolences to Norway over the death of King Harald V.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian coverage centers on Zelenskyy's bilateral agenda with Støre — air defense, interceptor missiles, the FREYJA program, and winter preparations — alongside the planned contract for nearly a thousand Patriot missiles funded by an EU credit. The funeral is framed primarily as the occasion for the visit rather than the substantive subject, with condolences and Zelenskyy's gratitude for Norway's support highlighted. Ukrainian outlets repeatedly stress that King Harald V publicly referenced Russian aggression against Ukraine and emphasized support for Ukrainians, weaving the ceremonial event into the wartime support narrative.
Where reporting differs
Sources differ on King Harald V's age at death: one states he died at 89, another states he died in his 90th year of life.
Background
King Harald V of Norway died on August 28 at Oslo's National Hospital, where he had been hospitalized since mid-August; the reported cause was hemolytic anemia. He had ascended the Norwegian throne in 1991 and was, at the time of his death, the longest-reigning European monarch. After his death, Håkon became King, referred to as Håkon VIII. In December 2023, King Harald V received Zelenskyy at the Royal Palace in Oslo. On July 13 in Paris, an 'anti-ballistic coalition' began work on a European missile defense system. King Harald V repeatedly referenced Russian aggression against Ukraine in his public speeches and stressed the need to support Ukrainians.