Norway's Støre urges China and India to press Russia into negotiations, pledges nearly €8 billion in Ukraine aid
Speaking at the Warsaw Security Forum, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre called on China, India and Global South countries to use their leverage over Moscow to draw Russia into negotiations. He announced Norway's aid commitment for the next year would remain at nearly €8 billion, with 70% directed to defence, and urged European partners to step up air defence support, budget financing through the IMF, and post-war security planning.
Key points
- Støre spoke at the Warsaw Security Forum on 12 October 2026
- He called on China, India, Brazil and South Africa to use their leverage over Russia to bring it to negotiations
- Norway's aid to Ukraine for the next year will stay at nearly €8 billion — the second consecutive year at this level
- 70% of the Norwegian aid package is directed to defence
- Støre said Ukraine needs air defence interceptors and called on partners to supply them
- He urged European countries to jointly address Ukraine's budget financing needs, including through the IMF
- He asked partners to begin planning post-war European security, since Russia will remain Europe's neighbour
Why it matters
A NATO member that shares a land border with Russia publicly pressed major non-Western powers to use their influence on Moscow, adding diplomatic weight to calls for outside mediation. Norway also confirmed it will keep aid at nearly €8 billion a year with defence as the dominant line item, while urging the rest of Europe to convert what Støre described as a Northern European effort into a continent-wide commitment — covering air defence, budget financing through international institutions, and post-war security planning.
What happened
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre used his platform at the Warsaw Security Forum on 12 October 2026 to set out three linked messages. First, he called on China, India, Brazil and South Africa — countries he said have leverage over Moscow — to press Russia into negotiations, and said Europe's role is to explain to non-European countries how the war affects the global economy, including through dialogue on blocking grain exports via the Black Sea. Second, he confirmed Norway's aid commitment for the next year at nearly €8 billion, the second consecutive year at that level, with 70% directed to defence. Third, he urged European partners to act on Ukraine's immediate needs — air defence interceptors and budget financing through the IMF and other financial institutions — and to start planning now for post-war European security, since Russia will remain Europe's neighbour.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian-language coverage from Ukrinform and Liga.net/LB.ua led with Støre's call on China and India to use their leverage over Russia to bring it to negotiations, framing it as encouragement for non-Western mediators. The outlets also presented Norway's near-€8 billion, defence-heavy aid package as a concrete commitment intended to reassure Ukraine and press other European countries into broader follow-through on air defence, budget support and long-term security planning.
Background
The Warsaw Security Forum is a recurring European security policy conference. Norway is a NATO member that shares a border with Russia and has been a consistent donor of military and financial aid to Ukraine.