Denmark is bringing forward and increasing a support package for Ukraine worth a total of DKK 1.8 billion, days after a Russian frigate fired signal flares at a Danish military helicopter.
Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Defense Minister Jeppe Bruus announced the decision on Friday, September 18. They spoke after a meeting of the Foreign Policy Committee at Christiansborg, DR reports.
According to Bruus, Denmark is now disbursing its support to Ukraine faster than originally planned. He said that if Russia believes it can rattle Denmark, the Danish answer is to escalate support for Ukraine.
The Copenhagen Post reports that the package is worth about US$276 million and is focused on air defense. Most of the money is set to go to air defense systems produced in Ukraine, and to support that Ukraine specifically asked for.
The helicopter incident
The Danish Armed Forces issued a press release on Monday at 11:02 p.m. It stated that one of the air force’s Fennec helicopters had been fired at with pyrotechnics in international waters off Gedser.
According to the Armed Forces, this happened during routine photo documentation of the Russian frigate. The defense minister said the frigate did not establish radio contact with the Danish helicopter before two signal flares were fired.
NATO has called the episode an irresponsible Russian action, as reported by DR. Several similar incidents have taken place in Europe in recent times. Tensions have risen since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, a war that has cost tens of thousands of lives on both sides.
DR notes that the Russian warship involved has previously drawn attention in the Baltic Sea. German police confirmed the identity of the vessel earlier this week, according to the broadcaster’s reporting from September 16.
Funding questions
Denmark is one of Ukraine’s largest supporters measured per capita. Since December, however, the country has sent only one larger aid package besides Friday’s announcement.
Per DR, the Ukraine fund is close to empty. If politicians want to find more money for Ukraine, they will have to find it elsewhere in the state budget.
Support has so far been financed through the economic headroom, known in Danish as the økonomiske råderum. That is the state’s expected future budget surplus. Danish policy toward Ukraine has also included preparations for a possible peacekeeping role in the event of a settlement.
