President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced progress in the European anti-ballistic program FREYJA. According to him, the first results in creating individual elements of the system have already been achieved, and during negotiations with the Norwegian side, areas were identified where work needs to be accelerated to reach the testing stage by the end of the current year. The head of state published this statement in his Telegram channel, which was reported by RBC-Ukraine.
Meeting with the Norwegian Defense Minister
On October 21, Zelenskyy held a meeting with Norwegian Defense Minister Tore Sandvik. The negotiations were also joined by Eirik Lie, CEO of the Norwegian defense company Kongsberg, and representatives of the corporation. It is Kongsberg that manufactures NASAMS air defense systems, which, according to the president, "effectively protect" Ukrainian servicemen and critical infrastructure from Russian missile and drone strikes virtually every day.
Status of the FREYJA Program
Norway, according to Zelenskyy, is actively participating in the European anti-ballistic program FREYJA. The president noted that there are already first results in creating individual elements of the system. During the meeting, the parties determined where work can and must be accelerated to reach testing by the end of 2026. Previously, Zelenskyy publicly discussed when the first Ukrainian anti-ballistic system FREYJA would be ready, and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha revealed the current stage of the project overall.
Additional Defense Support and Satellite Communications
A separate item of discussion was the launch of work on new satellite communication capabilities for the Defense Forces of Ukraine. Zelenskyy stated that partners capable of providing support will be involved. In addition, the president expects that additional defense support packages from Norway will arrive in Ukraine as early as November. In conclusion, he thanked the Norwegian side for their cooperation.
