Norway to give over $9 billion to Ukraine in 2027

OSLO, Aug 23 (Reuters) - Norway plans to give another 85 billion Norwegian crowns ($9.2 billion) in financial support to Ukraine in the 2027 fiscal year, in line with the amount given in 2026, the Nordic country's government said in a statement on Sunday.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere and leaders from across the Nordic and Baltic region are visiting Kyiv on Sunday in a show of support for Ukraine in the war with Russia.

Norway's donation will be for both military and humanitarian spending, Stoere was quoted as saying in the text of a speech released by the government in Oslo.

"Supporting and rebuilding Ukraine is not assistance alone. It is an investment in Europe's own security," Stoere said.

Separately, Finland and Ukraine have signed a letter of intent on manufacturing and developing unmanned systems in Finland and memorandum of understanding for a joint venture to produce uncrewed surface vessels, among other documents, Zelenskiy's office said on X.

In comments published on Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Kyiv had opened a "Pandora's box" with its strikes on Russian economic targets and that Moscow would hit back at Ukraine's "most sensitive economic sectors".

Russia and Ukraine are both ramping up drone campaigns aiming to cripple each other's economic infrastructure, often striking targets far beyond the frontlines of the war started by Moscow, as fighting on the battlefield grinds toward the 4-1/2-year mark.

($1 = 9.2875 Norwegian crowns)

(Reporting by Terje Solsvik; additional reporting by Jekaterīna GolubkovaEditing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)