On 27 April, Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen and Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen visited Ukraine as part of a delegation. Together with Minister of Strategic Industries Alexander Kamyshyn and Deputy Minister of Defence Dmytro Klimenkov, they signed the Statement of Intent. This document effectively puts on paper the Danish government's statement that it will allocate DKK 200 million (USD 28.5 million) for the purchase of weapons and military equipment for the Ukrainian Armed Forces from Ukrainian manufacturers.

‘I hope that more countries will follow our example. After my visit to a number of Ukrainian defence companies in Kyiv in March, I am convinced that there is great potential for future cooperation that can deliver much-needed equipment to Ukraine that will help make a difference on the battlefield and at the same time help build the defence industry in Ukraine,’ said Troels Lund Poulsen.

During the visit, the Danish delegation saw samples of weapons and military equipment manufactured in Ukraine.

‘The capability of the Ukrainian defence industry is about $20 billion. We have talented engineers, factories, machine tools, and developments that are already working at the frontline - and we have shown some of them to our guests today. But at the same time, Ukraine has only $6 billion to buy weapons. Roughly speaking, this is a third of what our enterprises can produce. That is why we launched the ‘ZBROYARI: Manufacturing Freedom’ project. This is a global fundraising initiative on entire nations, with a goal of $10 billion. The project started with Denmark, and I am very grateful to the Danish government and the Danish people for their determination to be the first. This is an investment in the defence of freedom and democracy. I am glad to have such a powerful partner as Denmark,’ said Alexander Kamyshin.

Denmark plans to finance the production of military equipment through the Ukraine Fund. 

‘For Ukraine's progress on the battlefield, it is crucial that it has enough weapons, ammunition and air defence systems. That is why Denmark was one of the first countries to make a security commitment to Ukraine, which also includes industrial cooperation. Now we are taking the next step. Thanks to Danish donations to Ukraine's defence industry, we can provide faster and more effective support to the front line. This will provide more optimal conditions for the Armed Forces of Ukraine to defend themselves against Russia's aggressive war,’ said Lars Løkke Rasmussen.

The statement of intent should also help strengthen cooperation between the defence industries in Denmark and Ukraine. Several Danish and Ukrainian companies are already engaged in a dialogue on cooperation. The development of defence innovation and production capability is a key security priority for both Denmark and Ukraine.