Denmark and Norway are expected to spend 178 million euros ($183 million) on arms purchases from Ukrainian manufacturers in 2025, Ukraine's Defense Ministry said on Jan. 9.
Denmark has reserved 135 million euros ($139 million) for further purchases under the "Danish model," buying arms for Ukraine directly from Ukrainian arms manufacturers. Norway is expected to contribute another 43 million euros ($44 million) to this initiative.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces have already received weapons worth almost 538 million euros ($554 million) through direct purchases from Ukraine's defense industry, according to the ministry.
The sources of funding were 390 million euros ($402 million) in proceeds from frozen Russian assets, 125 million euros ($129 million) from the Danish government through the Danish National Ukraine Fund, 20 million euros ($21 million) from Sweden, and another 2.7 million euros ($2.8 million) from Iceland.
At the end of September 2024, Denmark announced it would invest 4.2 billion Danish kroner ($630 million) in the Ukrainian defense industry. Denmark is the first country with which Ukraine has started joint weapons production, as President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Danish funds were used to purchase domestically made arms, such as the Bohdana self-propelled artillery systems capable of firing 155 mm NATO-standard shells.
Lithuania has also adopted the Danish model for Ukraine. It will invest 10 million euros ($10.3 million) in producing the Ukrainian long-range drone-missile Palianytsia.
Chris York
(Updated: )
