Norway has announced the allocation of additional NOK 200 million (around $18.5 million at the current rate) for humanitarian mine action in Ukraine, State Secretary of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Norway Eivind Vad Petersson has said.

"Norway has been an active supporter of mine action in Ukraine since 2015. And since Russia's full-scale invasion last year Norway has contributed approximately EUR 15 million to humanitarian mine action in Ukraine through experienced NGOs working closely with Ukrainian authorities. […] Today, we are stepping up our support and pledge an additional NOK 200 million, or approximately EUR 20 million for mine action in Ukraine," he said at the International Donors' Conference on Humanitarian Demining in Ukraine in Zagreb on Wednesday.

The official also called on everyone to respect the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention which was adopted 25 years ago and expressed hope that Croatia would also join it.

The government of Norway said in a press release issued on Wednesday that the widespread deployment of mines and cluster munitions in Ukraine has made it the most heavily mined country in the world today. Norway will more than double its support to efforts to clear mines laid in Ukraine since the start of Russia's brutal war of aggression.

Approximately 30% of Ukraine's land area is now littered with mines and unexploded ordnance. Demining is vital to enable Ukrainian farmers to cultivate their crops, it said.

"Russia's military aggression on Ukrainian territory is affecting more than just Ukraine. It is threatening food security across the entire world," Foreign Minister of Norway Anniken Huitfeldt is quoted in the press release.

Norway has provided NOK 164 million for mine clearance activities since Russia launched its full-scale war against Ukraine in February 2022. The Norwegian Government has now decided to increase its funding for humanitarian mine clearance activities significantly. The funds will be channelled through established mine clearance organisations including Norwegian People's Aid, the HALO Trust and the UN system.

Norway has provided support for mine clearance activities in Ukraine since 2015 and has extensive experience with mine clearance in the area.

Norway has now provided more than NOK 4.5 billion in humanitarian support to Ukraine and the refugee response in neighbouring countries.