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UKRAINE

Zelensky lands at Danish air force base

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky landed Sunday at an air force base in southern Denmark, two days after the United States approved the transfer of US-made F-16 fighter jets by Denmark and the Netherlands to Kviy.

Published: 20 August 2023 16:57 CEST
Zelensky lands at Danish air force base
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had several meetings in the Rhine area Thursday. Photo: Jonathan NACKSTRAND/AFP.

After an earlier visit in the day to the Netherlands, where Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte approved the delivery of the jets, Zelensky arrived at Skrydstrup at around 4:30 pm (1430 GMT), AFP journalists saw.

He was greeted by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Defence Minister Jakob Ellemann-Jensen.

The visit will see them examine the F-16s and talk about the start of Ukrainian pilot training, the Danish premier’s office said.

“Denmark fully supports Ukraine and is ready” to do so “for as long as necessary,” Frederiksen said in a statement ahead of Zelensky’s arrival and a joint press conference later Sunday.

“We are moving forward in the F-16 issue,” Zelensky said on the Telegram messaging site, adding that “We are preparing additional good news for Ukrainian warriors”.

He earlier hailed as “historic” the decision for the Netherlands and Denmark to hand over F-16 planes to Kyiv, as it seeks to increase its firepower from allies in its counteroffensive against Russia.

The Danish defence minister, in a statement, voiced pride that his country and the Netherlands were donating the fighter planes “to the fight for Ukraine’s freedom against Russia and its senseless aggression”.

“Denmark’s support for Ukraine is unwavering and with the donation of F-16 planes, Denmark is showing the way forward,” Ellemann-Jensen added.

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DENMARK AND UKRAINE

Denmark earmarks 2.3 billion kroner for artillery to Ukraine

Denmark's government has announced that the Nordic country will donate 2.3 billion kroner ($337 million) to pay for artillery pieces, mortars and ammunition for Ukraine as it fights off Russia's invasion.

Published: 13 March 2024 09:08 CET
Denmark earmarks 2.3 billion kroner for artillery to Ukraine

It said the donation will pay for French-made Caesar artillery systems, mortars and ammunition to go with them and will be financed through a fund set up for Ukraine, valued at 69.1 billion kroner.

“Artillery systems and mortars are highly sought after by Ukraine”, Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said in a statement on Tuesday.

“These donations are being made in cooperation with our allies and are an important signal that on a broad front we are supporting Ukraine.”

The Caesars are financed in cooperation with France, while 155mm shells to go with them are funded jointly with Estonia and the Czech Republic, the government said.

It did not give specific details of the arrangements for channelling the funds and sending the arms to Ukraine.

Kyiv has appealed for more arms, warning that it is running out of ammunition as it tries to fight off Russia.

In January, France announced a coalition to supply Ukraine with more artillery, bringing together more than 50 countries, and provided funding to buy 12 additional pieces produced by France’s Nexter, while calling on its allies to fund more.

Denmark is the fourth largest donor of military aid to Ukraine, according to the German based Kiel Institute for the World Economy.

The country signed a 10-year security agreement with Kyiv at the end of February, following similar agreements signed by Berlin, London and Paris.

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