Volodymyr Zelensky takes comfort in the Nordic countries, after his visit to the United States and before a crucial European Summit

As he calls on his European and American allies to continue their assistance, the Ukrainian president received a warm welcome in Oslo, Norway, and participated in a meeting of the leaders of the five Nordic countries (Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland).

“The warm welcome”: “Den varme velkomsten”, that’s how we say it in Norwegian. And it is with this sentence that the Norwegian Prime Minister welcomed Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday December 13, before continuing by declaring: “Norway continues to support Ukraine’s fight for its defense.” A vision that Norway shares with Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland. It must be said that Finland, for example, has more than 1,300 kilometers of border with Russia and that the country is wary of this bellicose neighbor.

And to understand the commitment of the Northern countries, we can recall that Norway agreed at the start of the year multi-year civil and military aid of 6.8 billion euros to Ukraine over the period 2023-2027. This Scandinavian country and neighboring Denmark notably donated tanks, cannons and ammunition and promised that they would supply F-16 fighters to Ukraine, which insists on such devices. Finally, by announcing new military aid in the form of equipment worth around 190 million euros, Sweden confirmed that it was also considering sending Gripen-type fighter planes. .

An open letter in the American press

This stop by Volodymyr Zelensky in Oslo allows us to refocus the debate while the Americans are divided on the aid to be provided. For the Ukrainian president, it feels good to find real allies, even friends. In an open letter published in the Financial Times, the five Nordic leaders argued that against Russia, Ukraine can only defend itself with words, and that war cannot be won without weapons. And to drive the point home by explaining that this is not the time to weaken in the aid provided. A message which therefore arrives while on the other side of the Atlantic, the commitment is more uncertain. The United States, after having paid 110 billion dollars, is having difficulty approving an additional 61 billion. The American Congress is divided on the subject, particularly for domestic political reasons.

And this Nordic support also comes at a key moment, because on Thursday and Friday, it is the Europeans who will look into the subject. On the menu of the European Summit which will take place in Brussels, the opening of negotiations for accession to the EU and the approval of European aid of 50 billion euros in the form of donations and loans in favor of ‘Ukraine. If we put aside the blackmail of Hungary which uses its support, the tendency is rather not to let go of Ukraine. France, Germany, and even Poland which has just changed Prime Minister, all these countries say that Europe must be there. Emmanuel Macron, the French president, even spoke of “full and lasting support”.