The Norwegian Home Guard (Heimevernet) and Ukraine's National Guard have signed a letter of intent for more long-term cooperation. The agreement covers military education and training, exchange of experience, and development of training programmes, among other things.
According to the Norwegian Armed Forces, cooperation between the Home Guard and Ukraine's National Guard (NGU) has developed since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. A delegation from the NGU recently visited the training conducted in Norway.
According to the Norwegian Armed Forces, Norway contributes expertise in territorial defence, reserve-based force structure, leadership development and civil-military cooperation, among other things. Ukraine, in turn, contributes experience from the ongoing war.
"The combination of modern training technology and actual combat experience creates great potential for the continued development of both organisations," says Colonel Andrii Kostenko, head of the Ukrainian delegation, in the Norwegian Armed Forces' article.
The letter of intent provides a structured framework for continued cooperation in military education and training, exchange of experience, development of training programmes and institutional development. According to the Norwegian Armed Forces, the agreement also opens the door to new joint initiatives, improved cooperation and deeper dialogue in areas including territorial defence, national resilience and personnel training.
"The letter of intent shows that the relationship between our organisations is not limited to individual projects or short-term support, but is built on long-term commitment, shared values, mutual trust and a shared understanding of security," says Kostenko.
Part of the existing cooperation takes place through Operation Ellisiv. Ukrainian personnel are trained in Norway there, and according to the Norwegian Armed Forces, the training programmes are continuously adapted to the needs of Ukrainian units and developments on the battlefield. The focus is on leadership, initiative, tactical thinking and decision-making under uncertainty, among other things.
"What makes a particular impression is Norway's ability to continuously adapt training to the realities of modern warfare, based on our feedback," says Kostenko.
The letter of intent comes as Norway and Ukraine broaden their bilateral cooperation. On 23 August, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a joint declaration on a strategic partnership, with defence, energy and resilience as three main areas. They also signed a separate defence agreement under the so-called Drone Deal framework.