Denmark to give Ukraine $3 billion of its 2030 increased defence spending

Denmark intends to increase defence spending to more than US$20 billion and aims to meet NATO's defence spending requirement of 2 per cent of GDP by 2030.

Denmark’s Defence Minister at a press conference on May 30, European Pravda reported, referring to The Local.

Announcing Denmark's new defence spending structure until 2030, Troels Lund Poulsen described a new "complex threat picture, which is putting new demands on Denmark's defence system and its society".

"The threats against us have changed character," he said, naming energy policy, disinformation, cyber-attacks, and the war in Ukraine among the new challenges.

Poulsen said the total defenсe budget for the next ten years would be 143.2 billion сrowns ($20.5 billion), of which 105.4 billion сrowns ($15 billion) will go to new defence and security priorities. 

Under the new defenсe framework, the budget will amount to 6.7 billion сrown (almost $1 billion) in 2023 and grow to 19.2 billion сrowns (nearly $3 billion) by 2032.

About 26.9 billion crowns will be spent on building repairs and renovations, IT improvements, and staff support, and 10.9 billion crowns will be spent on investments in personnel and materials. 

Denmark plans to provide Ukraine with military assistance worth about 21.9 billion сrowns (more than $3 billion).

Denmark will reach the NATO target of 2 per cent of GDP under its spending plans only if donations to Ukraine through a special Ukrainian fund are included. At a press conference, Poulsen said that he has "no doubt whatsoever" that spending on assistance to Ukraine is part of the country's defence budget and, therefore, should be included in the NATO goal.

The amount of military aid to Ukraine announced by Poulsen exceeds the amount reported by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen the day before.