The Norwegian government has allocated €50 million to UNHCR to assist Ukrainian refugees
After the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Norway became one of the countries that demonstrated a clear political position, active international participation and systematic support for Ukrainians. According to the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI), Norway has granted temporary protection to tens of thousands of Ukrainian citizens, providing them with housing, medical care, access to education and the opportunity to work. Language courses for refugees are operating in the country, municipalities are adapting integration programs, and civil society organizations are actively involving Ukrainians in local life. At the same time, the Norwegian government decided to provide NOK 580 million to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to help refugees, internally displaced persons and other people in Ukraine and Moldova affected by the war.
However, Norway’s assistance is not limited to those who have found refuge directly on its territory. The country’s government consistently supports humanitarian initiatives for the benefit of internally displaced persons and vulnerable populations in Ukraine itself and neighboring regions. To this end, Norway actively cooperates with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), one of the key international bodies that coordinates the provision of assistance to the Ukrainian population affected by the armed conflict.
On May 9, 2025, the Government of Norway announced about a new tranche of humanitarian support in the amount of 580 million Norwegian kroner (almost 50 million euros), which will be directed to the implementation of UNHCR programs in Ukraine and Moldova. Of the total amount, 530 million crowns are intended for the agency’s work in Ukraine, and another 50 million for Moldova, which continues to receive a significant number of Ukrainian refugees, in particular from the southern regions of Ukraine.
According to Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Bart Eide, UNHCR remains one of Oslo’s main partners in the field of humanitarian response to the consequences of Russian aggression. He emphasized that in conditions where global support for humanitarian needs is gradually decreasing, and the amount of needs in Ukraine is only increasing, Norway’s participation in such programs is gaining even more importance. In particular, this concerns the provision of basic living conditions for internally displaced persons who have lost housing, access to infrastructure or were forced to evacuate from frontline areas.
As indicated in the official statement, today more than 7 million Ukrainians were forced to leave the country, and another 3.8 million people are internally displaced. The vast majority are women and children, who are particularly vulnerable to martial law conditions, limited access to healthcare, unstable housing and loss of income. The need for financial, social and medical support remains consistently high, and UNHCR is the mechanism through which Norway delivers aid directly to the ground.
The specified funding will be directed to comprehensive support, including the provision of housing, legal assistance, protection from violence, psychosocial support, as well as provision of basic necessities – warm clothes, blankets, hygiene kits, fuel. Also, a significant part of the resources will go to the development of logistics of humanitarian aid, support of regional hubs and ensuring coordination between state and non-state actors.
In his statement, Minister Eide separately drew attention to the fact that the last months have become one of the most tragic for the civilian population of Ukraine during the entire period of full-scale war. In April 2025, according to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission, the number of civilian deaths was the highest since September 2024 — at least 209 people were killed, and more than 1,100 were injured. At the same time, part of the shelling was conducted far from the front line, in particular in Kyiv, which creates new waves of internal evacuation and exacerbates the need for operational assistance.
In total, starting in 2022, Norway has already provided more than NOK 900 million (over EUR 70 million) to UNHCR’s humanitarian initiatives related to Ukraine and neighboring countries. This makes it one of the agency’s leading donors and an important international partner in responding to the largest humanitarian crisis in Europe since World War II.
For Ukrainians living in Norway, this support is also of indirect importance. It demonstrates the stability of the state’s external position, its consistent solidarity with Ukraine and recognition of the long-term nature of humanitarian challenges. At a time when individual EU countries are revising their policies towards Ukrainians or reducing the amount of aid, Oslo’s position remains clear: supporting Ukraine is not an exception during the crisis, but a strategic course.
