In January 2023, the little Kingdom of Denmark gave Ukraine every CAESAR howitzer it owned. Then it began paying Ukrainian factories to build the weapons Kyiv needed, an approach now called the Danish model.
Now the benefits flow back to Denmark. Copenhagen is buying Ukrainian drones and bringing hard-won battlefield experience into Danish training.
Ukraine has become the teacher.
ODESA—In January 2023, Denmark agreed to give Ukraine every CAESAR howitzer it had: 19 guns, intended for its own army, now destined for a country fighting for its survival. The donation would delay the development of Denmark’s 1st Brigade. The Danes knew that and approved it anyway.
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In the face of Russia’s aggression, there would have been ample reason for Denmark to keep the artillery for its own army. Denmark’s own soldiers need equipment and replacing what you give away costs money that could be spent elsewhere. Denmark accepted those objections without allowing them to settle the question. Russian troops were already fighting in Ukraine. That was where the guns were needed.
For a country of roughly six million people, this was a considerable decision. It also helps explain why Denmark is routinely considered to be one of Ukraine’s most valuable partners. The Danish government has repeatedly treated Ukrainian resistance as a Danish security interest worth paying for, even when the payment involved more than money.
“Denmark has been among the most active donor countries since the start of the war in Ukraine. We must continue to be,” then-Defense Minister Jakob Ellemann-Jensen said when announcing the donation.
