It’s the last day of our birthday campaign, and it would mean a lot to us if you become our member today
Become a member
Skip to content
Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen during the final day of the NATO Summit in Washington DC, United States on July 11, 2024. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
This audio is created with AI assistance

Ukraine's partners must continue to deliver support and scale up their own military capabilities, as compassion "will not protect Ukraine," Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said at the European Political Community Summit on July 18, attended by a Kyiv Independent reporter.

"Compassion is not a weapon. It will not protect Ukraine," Mette said at the first plenary session of the summit, which is being held in the U.K. at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire. "We have to stop going about this task in front of us with a peacetime mindset."

Mette said she understands that Ukraine urgently needs air defense ammunition and more heavy weapons to push Russia outside of Ukraine's territory.

Denmark has "worked very hard to support the production of military equipment directly, internally in Ukraine," Mette said, adding that Ukraine "knows best what is needed at the battlefield."

The Danish Defense Ministry announced in April a new 2.2 billion kroner ($313 million) military aid package for Ukraine, including 200 million Danish kroner ($28.5 million) earmarked for purchases from Ukraine's defense industry.

The announcement made Denmark the first country to buy weapons and equipment for Ukraine's Armed Forces from a domestic manufacturer as part of a military aid package.

Ukraine's Strategic Industries Ministry described Copenhagen's move as "unprecedented" and "extremely important for both the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the Ukrainian economy."

"The production capability of our defense industry far exceeds the purchasing power of the state budget," the Strategic Industries Ministry said in April.

According to Mette, the weapons and equipment that Ukraine needs "can often be produced cheaper and more effectively in Ukraine."

"By joining forces and pooling resources, we can ensure that the flow of the needed military equipment corresponds to the needs of Ukraine," Mette said.

Dutch ambassador to Kyiv on F-16s, MH17, and Scythian gold – ‘Ukraine is fighting not only for itself but also for us’
The recent career of the outgoing Dutch Ambassador, Jennes de Mol, has been a good reflection of his country’s relations with Ukraine. A career diplomat, De Mol was the Dutch Consul General in Saint Petersburg in 2014, when he came to Kyiv to assist the Dutch embassy in the aftermath
It’s the last day of our birthday campaign.
It would mean a lot to us if you become our member today. With your support, we can do even more good journalism.
Show us support this birthday month
Become a member
visa masterCard americanExpress

News Feed

MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.