Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said yesterday that the cooperation within the format "Ukraine plus Northern Europe" is gaining momentum, and more steps are expected to be taken this week that may increase the pressure on Russia, Reuters reported.
The five Scandinavian countries – Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland – are members of NATO and are staunch supporters of Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion. Sweden and Finland joined the alliance earlier this year, with Stockholm saying Russia is Sweden's main international security threat. Of the five countries, only Finland and Norway have a common border with Russia.
Moscow has expressed the position that NATO expansion represents a dangerous historical mistake that will force the Kremlin to take countermeasures.
Last year, the Scandinavian countries told Zelensky that they would support his country "as long as it takes" in its struggle to push out Russian forces, and that they are ready to continue providing large-scale military, economic and humanitarian aid to Kiev, notes Reuters.
In May, Zelensky said that joint military aid from the Nordic countries this year would total 6 billion euros under a number of separate security agreements. These funds are in addition to the approximately 11 billion euros provided by the five countries until the end of 2023.
"They understand that it is necessary to create problems for the aggressor so that Russia loses the opportunity to harm the life of the world," Zelensky said in his regular video address yesterday. "We will hold talks (this week) with the "Scandinavians" for new fundamental steps that can increase the pressure on Russia for this war and in the name of honest diplomacy", the Ukrainian president added.