Zelenskyy arrives in Norway with First Lady for King Harald's funeral

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, together with First Lady Olena Zelenska, arrived in Norway on the evening of September 8. The Ukrainian leader will attend the funeral of King Harald V and also hold a series of meetings dedicated to supporting Ukraine.

Zelenskyy announced this on social media. The visit was also confirmed by the Norwegian government.

"Olena and I arrived in Norway to honor the memory of His Majesty King Harald V tomorrow together with the Norwegian people and leaders from around the world," — the president said.

Zelenskyy noted that a number of meetings are also scheduled during his stay in the country.

Zelenskyy to meet with Norwegian Prime Minister

The Norwegian government said that already on the evening of September 8, Zelenskyy will hold political talks with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

One of the central topics will be further military and civilian assistance to Ukraine. The Norwegian prime minister emphasized that Ukraine currently especially needs air defense systems and other military support ahead of another difficult winter period.

"Ukraine critically needs air defense and other military support, and a difficult winter awaits it. Among the topics of the talks is how Norwegian military and civilian assistance can best meet Ukraine's needs right now," — Støre said.

For security reasons, the meeting between Zelenskyy and the Norwegian prime minister will take place without press access.

King's funeral to be held on September 9

The state funeral of King Harald V will take place on Wednesday, September 9, in Oslo. At 12:00, the funeral procession will depart from the Royal Palace to Oslo Cathedral, where the ceremony will begin at 13:00.

After the service, the procession will head to the church at Akershus Fortress, where a private family ceremony will be held. Monarchs, heads of state, and other high-ranking representatives from many countries are arriving for the funeral.

King Harald V died on August 28 at the age of 89. He had occupied the Norwegian throne since 1991 and remained head of state for more than 35 years.

After the monarch's death, Zelenskyy expressed condolences to the Norwegian people and noted the support that Harald V gave to Ukraine during Russian aggression.

Based on materials from: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Government of Norway