One of the key outcomes of the largest-ever Norwegian-Ukrainian Partnership Forum, held in Lviv on 17–18 June, was the signing of a memorandum establishing the Norway Desk – a dedicated service designed to attract and support Norwegian businesses and investors interested in cooperation with Lviv and Ukraine. The Forum brought together more than 250 participants, including around 100 representatives of Norwegian and 183 representatives of Ukrainian companies, municipalities, government institutions and business organizations.
The new service will operate as a one-stop shop, helping Norwegian companies identify potential partners, access the necessary consultations, explore investment opportunities in Lviv, and develop and implement joint projects.
“We see cooperation between Norwegian and Ukrainian companies as a genuine partnership. Ukraine today demonstrates a high level of innovation, flexibility and resilience, and this is valuable experience for Norwegian businesses. We are pleased to co-organize this Forum and contribute to creating new connections between companies from our two countries,” said Thomas Egger Sørensen, Senior Vice President for Special Assignments at Innovation Norway.
“Around 100 Norwegian companies came to Lviv to participate in the Forum. This demonstrates the strong interest of Norwegian business in Ukraine and an understanding of the potential of our partnership. We see significant opportunities for cooperation in IT, reconstruction, healthcare, defence technologies and innovation. For Norway, it is important not only to contribute to Ukraine’s recovery, but also to build long-term, mutually beneficial economic relations. We can create value for each other. This is clearly cooperation that benefits both sides,” said Vegard Grøslie Wennesland, State Secretary at Norway’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries.
According to the Lviv City Council, the Norway Desk is intended to become a practical instrument for attracting Norwegian investment and developing a long-term partnership between Lviv and Norway.
The establishment of the Norway Desk is a natural continuation of Lviv’s cooperation with Norway. Among the most significant joint initiatives are Oslo’s participation in the Unbroken Cities initiative, the partnership with Bergen, Norwegian support for the modernization of Oriyana Lyceum through a €5 million grant, funding for the city’s energy resilience measures, and the implementation of a number of investment projects involving Norwegian businesses.
“Lviv’s cooperation with Norway is already delivering tangible results — from partnerships with Oslo and Bergen to joint projects in education, healthcare, energy and support for our defenders. The Norway Desk will become another important instrument for developing economic ties, attracting investment and launching new joint projects between Norwegian and Ukrainian businesses,” said Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi.
During their visit to Lviv, the Norwegian delegation also visited the Field of Honour at Lychakiv Cemetery, where they paid tribute to the memory of Ukrainian defenders. Members of the delegation also attended the city’s official farewell ceremony for a fallen Ukrainian serviceman at Rynok Square. The delegation subsequently visited Lviv City Council. During a meeting with Mayor Andriy Sadovyi, Vegard Grøslie Wennesland, State Secretary at Norway’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, signed the city’s Book of Honour.
It is worth noting that in July 2025, Lviv became the first city in Ukraine to establish a dedicated support service for Japanese businesses – Japan Desk Lviv. The relevant memorandum of cooperation was signed by the Lviv City Council and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) on 7 July 2025. Since then, the service has been helping Japanese companies find local partners, access consultations and develop business cooperation with Lviv.
