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Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba (l.) and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen during a panel discussion at the Munich Security Conference
Photo: Anna Szilagyi / EPA
Denmark wants to donate its entire stock of artillery ammunition to Ukraine. This was announced by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen during the Ukraine lunch at the Munich Security Conference. Ukrainian President Zelensky had previously advertised for weapons and ammunition.
»If you ask the Ukrainians, they now ask us for ammunition, now for artillery. On the Danish side, we have decided to donate all of our artillery,” Frederiksen continued. Other media had previously reported.
Artillery shells are an essential part of Ukraine's defense. Frederiksen pointed out that there are enough of these in Europe. »There is still ammunition in European stocks. It's not just a question of production, because we have the weapons, we have ammunition, we have anti-aircraft defenses that we don't need to use ourselves at the moment, but that we should supply to Ukraine," she explained.
How many bullets are currently in Danish stocks is unknown. However, more are likely to be added to the Danish grenades. Czech President Petr Pavel said at the Munich Security Conference that his government had identified around 800,000 bullets on the global market. The Czechs are now looking for European buyers for the ammunition so that they can then send it to Ukraine.
“We have already identified half a million 155 mm caliber bullets and a further 300,000 122 mm caliber bullets, which we can deliver within a few weeks if we find financing quickly,” continues Pavel. It is still unclear who wants to participate in the purchase.
However, Prague wants to turn to Berlin, Washington, Oslo and other partner countries. However, there is said to be headwind from Paris, as they would rather send domestic ammunition to strengthen the French arms industry. Cyprus and Greece also expressed concerns because some of the grenades apparently had to be purchased from Turkish stocks. Diplomatic relations between Greece, Cyprus and Turkey are already tense - there are apparently fears that conditions will deteriorate.
Frederiksen: Should have supported much earlier
According to Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, the international community has let too much time pass in dealing with Russia. "We should have provided Ukraine with better support much earlier," she said on Saturday at the Munich Security Conference.
With regard to the current demands for arms deliveries from Kiev, Frederiksen emphasized that everything “that is necessary” must be delivered. Denmark is currently trying to convince all alliance partners of this. "Our F-16 jets will soon fly in Ukraine," she said.
In addition, Frederiksen called for the development of a European defense industry. "No matter what happens in the USA, we have to manage to defend ourselves and Ukraine," she said. It is no longer the time for great speeches, “we need decisions.”
Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) supported Frederiksen's position, but among other things, national pride in some European countries prevented the development of a common defense industry. In Germany, the current regulations are also a hurdle for faster weapons production. In Germany, an order and clarified financing must always be submitted before tanks can be built. In view of the ongoing debates about missing weapons, he emphasized that it should not happen that next year's debates again revolve around missing money and weapons.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said his country needed “a lot more artillery ammunition.” Although drones have also become an important factor in warfare, they will not replace artillery ammunition. Kuleba appealed to all of Ukraine's partners to increase weapons production "as quickly as possible." »This won't be over tomorrow. There is a country in Europe, Russia, that is only looking for war." The international alliance against Russia consists of 54 countries, "we can do it."
lpz/dpa