Ukraine’s Economy and Norwegian Cooperation in Focus at OsloMet Breakfast Seminar

On 31 October, OsloMet hosted a breakfast seminar dedicated to Ukraine’s economy and prospects for Norwegian-Ukrainian economic cooperation, organized by UKRAINETT in collaboration with OsloMet. The event brought together representatives from academia, business, and public administration to discuss Ukraine’s macroeconomic developments nearly four years into the full-scale war, as well as opportunities for deeper bilateral engagement.

The seminar opened with Kristian Åtland, Chief Research Scientist at the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI) and member of the UKRAINETT steering group, who welcomed participants and introduced the day’s programme.

Following him, Julie Helseth Udal, researcher at FFI, presented an in-depth overview of Ukraine’s economic situation, illustrating how the country’s defence spending has increased twelvefold since 2021 and now dominates the national budget. Her presentation highlighted key challenges such as demographic decline, unemployment, and rising inequality, alongside Ukraine’s resilience in maintaining exports and production despite the ongoing war. Udal also referenced data from the upcoming RDNA4 report, noting that reconstruction costs are estimated at USD 524 billion, equivalent to nearly 90% of Ukraine’s projected GDP in 2025.

The discussion then turned to Norwegian-Ukrainian cooperation, presented by Kjartan Svaland Tveitnes, Managing Director of NUCC. He outlined the Norwegian financial and institutional support for Ukraine, including the Nansen Support Programme, which allocates 205 billion NOK (17 billion EUR) for 2023–2030. He also emphasized how Norwegian funds and partnerships are fostering private sector growth and sustainable reconstruction through business development, trade, and investment initiatives.

The seminar concluded with an open Q&A and discussion, where participants exchanged views on Ukraine’s recovery prospects and Norway’s role in supporting both public and private sector cooperation.

About the event:
UKRAINETT and OsloMet organized this open breakfast seminar to provide a fact-based look at Ukraine’s economic realities and explore how Norwegian stakeholders can contribute to long-term recovery and partnership.

‍