NORWEGIAN MP REVEALS HOW HE BROKE EXPORT RULES TO GET DRONES TO UKRAINE
Norwegian MP Peter Frølich has revealed that he knowingly bypassed export restrictions in 2023 to help deliver thermal-imaging drones to Ukrainian soldiers. Norway subsequently changed the rules to allow commercial drones to be sent legally.
Frølich, a Conservative Party lawmaker and co-founder of the volunteer organization Fritt Ukraina, described the episode in his book and a recent interview. Customs officials had stopped the organization’s shipment under restrictions rooted in legislation dating back to the 1950s.
The volunteers appealed to the government, warning that delays could cost Ukrainian soldiers their lives. According to Frølich’s account, they received no answer in time and went ahead with the delivery.
The following morning, the organization learned that the government would fast-track its review. The regulations were later changed, opening a legal route for similar assistance.
Frølich says he does not regret his decision, while stressing that breaking the law should not become a habit. His account illustrates the urgency volunteers faced when equipment was ready to go but the rules stood in the way.
These are the friends Ukraine needs: people who understand that support must reach those relying on it. Frølich and the volunteers treated the soldiers’ warning as an immediate responsibility—and the government’s eventual response helped clear the path for others to assist legally.