Aftenposten was the first reported the case Sunday.

Along with friends and acquaintances, the parliamentary politician helped collect material and transport it to the front line in the war-torn country.

Frølich himself took part in a tour of Ukraine in September, together with his party colleague Mahmoud Farahmand, among others.

Among other things, they delivered surveillance drones to Ukrainian soldiers.

– These are simple civilian drones that let the Ukrainians know if the Russians are approaching and where the dangers lurk. With these drones, Ukrainian soldiers have the opportunity to save their own lives, Frølich told NRK.

In addition, they have, among other things, delivered cars that can evacuate wounded soldiers, and woolen underwear that keeps soldiers warm in the cold.

After Frølich and several others decided to help Ukrainian soldiers last summer, the work was formalized in the fall.

On October 12, the organization “Free Ukraine” was founded, with Frølich as president, writes Aftenposten.

Chairs the committee that reviews the government

As a Storting politician, Frølich heads the Storting’s Oversight Committee, which is currently investigating how the government helped Ukraine after the Russian invasion in February 2022.

It is his political colleague Audun Lysbakken of SV who leads the commission’s investigations into government aid to Ukraine.

Lysbakken is the so-called case manager for the control case.

– How do you assess your room for action as head of the control committee which now has this control case, to go to Ukraine and participate in the delivery of surveillance drones to Ukrainian soldiers?

– This is something I do with great confidence and personal conviction. In a war like this, I have no qualms about sending aid to those fighting in Ukraine.

– It is about protecting democracy and a rules-based world order. This is the most important dispute of our time, says Frølich.

– We all have to feel for ourselves what we can do. There are no major formal restrictions on what a parliamentary representative can do, nor on committee heads. As a representative, you can of course get actively involved in help like this. I am certain of that.

Receives support from a law professor

Jan Frithjof Bernt is professor emeritus at the Faculty of Law of the University of Bergen.

The professor is one of Norway’s leading competence experts.

He says Storting representatives are not subject to any form of official power or restriction.

– Can Peter Frølich, as head of the control committee, make such a trip to Ukraine?

– As far as I have been informed, there is no problem about this. A parliamentary representative can get involved in matters, both in word and deed, that he sees fit to address, Bernt says.

Even if the control committee has to examine government aid to Ukraine, Frølich, as head of the committee, can still travel to Ukraine to donate equipment to Ukrainian soldiers, the professor believes.

– The fact that Frølich had an opinion on the matter in advance is no different from the fact that politicians may have had an opinion on questions bearing on other questions before they were considered in the Storting .

He says that it is in the role of politicians that they must have the possibility of involving themselves in what is happening in society.

– It is not something marginal or debatable that is happening here. It’s a very natural part of being elected, Bernt said.

Happy for engagement

Frølich says it is important for him to show that aid to Ukraine is not a political brand.

After the New Year, they helped deliver a generator set to Ukraine.

They got it from a Norwegian donor. Bergen Engines employees helped set up the generator set.

– There are incredibly many nice people around. You are moved when you see the willingness to give. There are lots of nice people all over the country who want to help, says Frølich.

Frølich says it has strong symbolic value for Ukrainians that help is coming.

– This is living proof that they are not alone. This help comes from outside. Not just from a distant government authority, but from person to person. They really appreciate that, says Frølich.