Denmark prepares 12th defense assistance package for Ukraine
12 September, 2023 Loading military aid to Ukraine. Photo from open sources Denmark announces an additional £833 million military aid package for Ukraine.
The Danish Ministry of Defense said that the new package will include armored vehicles, anti-aircraft guns and ammunition. The entire amount is divided into three stages: £617 million this year, £209 million in 2024, and £7 million in 2025. The package will be the 12th and largest transferred by Denmark since February 24, 2022.
"In order for Ukraine to continue to defend itself against Russian invasion, it is extremely important that countries like Denmark maintain military and financial support for Ukraine. We are currently doing this with Denmark's largest financial contribution to date under the auspices of a group of countries that meet regularly at the Rammstein base," said Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen.
Troels Lund Poulsen. Photo credits: Danish Ministry of Defense
The aid package for Ukraine has yet to be approved by the Danish Finance Committee.
Previously, on September 8, the first 10 German-made Leopard 1 tanks, donated by Denmark, arrived in Ukraine. Recently, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy also announced that Denmark is preparing an additional 12th aid package for Ukraine and is discussing with the country the expansion of the F-16 fighter jet pilot training program. "I thanked for the defense assistance provided.
It has already amounted to more than £1.6 billion," Zelensky said. He reminded that training of Ukrainian pilots on F16 fighter jets is underway in Denmark.
Volodymyr Zelensky and Mette Frederiksen against the background of the Danish F-16 fighter. August 2023.
Denmark. Photo credits: Office of the President of Ukraine
"The Ukrainian military is tasked with preparing the necessary infrastructure in our country as soon as possible. This is one of the key tasks that the Defense Forces have to fulfill now, of course, with the support of our partners.
But, nevertheless, much depends on us.
We are discussing the expansion of our training capabilities, accelerating the real integration of modern fighter jets to protect the country," Zelensky emphasized.
The President added that the first meeting of the working group of the aviation coalition with representatives of Ukraine has already taken place.