Denmark and Other Countries to Transfer Additional 45 Tanks to Ukraine

The Danish Minister of Defence has announced that Denmark, together with other countries, is purchasing additional 45 tanks for Ukraine.

As Politiken reports, the party will include 30 Leopard 1 tanks and 15 T-72 tanks. Poulsen said Denmark buys tanks in cooperation with other countries.

"This [purchase of tanks – ed.] is happening in cooperation with other countries with access to their existing tanks," said Troels Lund Poulsen, Danish Minister of Defence, after arriving at the meeting of Ukraine Defence Contact Group taking place at the Ramstein base in Germany.

Earlier, Denmark purchased and decided to transfer to Ukraine 100 Leopard 1 tanks in cooperation with Germany and the Netherlands. In early September, the first 10 out of the 100 donated Leopard 1 tanks arrived in Ukraine after months of delay.

This is the first time that Denmark is handing over T-72 tanks, the advantage of which is that the Ukrainian military knows how to operate them, so they do not need to undergo training.

The tank transfer is being financed by the Ukraine fund, or rather by a package worth 5.8 billion Danish crowns [almost 800 million euros], as was announced last week.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen explained that this package opens a "new phase" in Danish aid to Ukraine. The country gave away most of what it could give directly from its weapons stockpiles, so in the future Copenhagen plans to focus on purchases in accordance with the current needs of Ukraine together with other allies.

Troels Lund Poulsen, Danish Minister of Defence, did not reveal which countries the purchases are planned to be made in cooperation with.