Danish commander-in-chief meets Syrskyi, Umerov to discuss further assistance for Ukraine

Commander-in-Chief of the Danish Armed Forces Michael Wiggers Hyldgaard visited Kyiv and met his counterpart Oleksandr Syrskyi and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov on April 20, Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief wrote on Facebook.

Wiggers Hyldgaard was appointed in early April. His predecessor, Flemming Lenfter, was dismissed on April 3 as he failed to report malfunctioning weapon systems during Houthi militants' drone attack on a Danish frigate in the Red Sea, reportedly putting the crew of 175 at risk.

During the meeting, Wiggers Hyldgaard, Umerov, and Syrskyi discussed Ukraine's needs on the front lines as well as further assistance from the Danish government.

"From the first day of the full-scale invasion, Denmark has been standing on Ukraine's side, on the side of democracy and freedom defense," Syrskyi wrote.

Ukraine's commander-in-chief also thanked the Danish government and its people for the continued support of Ukrainian forces.

"The partnership with Denmark, one of NATO's founding states, remains a significant (source of) support for us," Syrskyi added.

Denmark, one of Kyiv's key supporters throughout Russia's full-scale invasion, recently announced a 2.2 billion kroner ($313 million) military aid package for Ukraine. It was the 17th Danish military aid package for Ukraine since 2022.

Denmark also became the first state to buy weapons and equipment for Ukraine's Armed Forces from a domestic manufacturer as part of a military aid package.

According to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel), which tracks international aid for Ukraine, Denmark is the fourth largest provider of military aid to Kyiv, committing around 8.4 million euros ($9 billion) as of January 2024.

Read also: Denmark announces $5.8 million in aid for Ukraine’s energy infrastructure

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