After Russia fired flares at a Danish helicopter: Denmark responds by sending 1.8 billion kroner to Ukraine, and this is how the minister responded to whether it was considered a “provocation.”
Danish Defense Minister Jeppe Bruus said that the Danish helicopter incident led almost directly to the new aid package for Ukraine, according to local sources.
Bruce explained that his Ukrainian counterpart had requested more support, and therefore Denmark decided to provide the package earlier than planned, bringing its value to 1.8 billion kroner.
The defense minister said Denmark wanted to respond quickly to Ukrainian needs, adding that if the Russians thought they could destabilize its position through such actions, it would respond by accelerating its support for Ukraine rather than backing down.
The Danish government thus linked the incident that occurred in its security perimeter to its decision to accelerate military aid to Kyiv.
The announcement came after a meeting of the parliamentary foreign policy committee, Det Udenrigspolitiske Nævn, during which several ministers discussed Denmark’s relations with the United States, the war in Ukraine, and security developments related to Russia.
Loke: Supporting Ukraine is part of defending freedom
Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, for his part, refused to give much weight to the possibility that Russia would consider the new Danish aid package a provocation. When asked about the possibility that the aid might provoke Moscow, Løkke replied: “So be it,” before explaining that Denmark’s position is based on the fact that Ukraine is fighting a war for freedom, and that this freedom is also linked to Denmark.
The Danish foreign minister's remarks come amid continued security tensions between Russia and Denmark, particularly after the military helicopter incident.
What happened in relations with Washington?
The meeting also discussed the latest developments of the high-level working group formed by Denmark and the United States in January, following a period of heightened tension between the two countries over the Greenland dispute.
Lars Løkke Rasmussen had traveled to Washington on January 14, accompanied by the then-Foreign Minister of the Government of Greenland, Vivian Motzfeldt, where they met with US Vice President JD Vance and Foreign Minister Marco Rubio.
The meeting concluded with the formation of a joint working group to explore areas where the two sides can bring their positions closer and reach understandings.
Lucke said that work within the group was "on the right track" and expressed cautious optimism about the possibility of progress, but he did not reveal details of the negotiations to journalists.
The Danish government confirmed that the parliamentary meeting addressed the latest developments in this matter, but the ministers did not provide public details about the content of the ongoing cooperation with Washington.
The government combines dialogue with Washington and support for Ukraine.
Recent developments reveal two parallel tracks in Danish foreign policy; on the one hand, Copenhagen continues dialogue with Washington through the working group formed after the Greenland crisis, and on the other hand, it continues to raise its level of support for Ukraine in the face of Russia.
While Lars Løkke Rasmussen described the dialogue with the United States as progressing, the government announced it was accelerating its military aid package to Ukraine, stressing that the helicopter incident had not caused it to back down from supporting Kyiv, according to TV2's report on the parliamentary foreign policy committee meeting.
