Zelensky in Denmark with the Nordic leaders: Copenhagen’s new €645 million package and talks with Norway on NASAMS missiles

Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Copenhagen on Tuesday, November 10, on a trip focused on Ukraine’s air defence and the protection of its energy system. The programme, as he presented it, included a meeting with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, contacts with MPs and with Denmark’s largest defence companies, an audience with King Frederik X, and a separate meeting with the prime ministers of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Finland.

According to Frederiksen’s office, the meeting with the Nordic leaders would focus on two axes: military support for Ukraine and European security. “Ukraine’s urgent need for air defence and the protection of its energy sector are also on the agenda,” the statement said. “We must continue our support and we must learn from Ukraine’s experience so that together we protect Europe,” the Danish prime minister said.

The most tangible result came from the bilateral meeting. Zelensky announced a new Danish defence package of €645 million, directed mainly at buying drones, both strike drones and drones that shoot down Russian ones, ammunition for the F-16s and a contribution to the PURL mechanism for purchases of American weapons. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said air defence is the priority of his country’s 32nd aid package.

In parallel, Denmark is allocating 150 million kroner, about €20 million, for energy in the Kherson region, on the eve of the fourth anniversary of the city’s liberation. The two leaders also discussed the results of the Drone Deal scheme, the development of joint production lines and the FREYJA anti-ballistic programme. Copenhagen comes less than two weeks after the Dutch package of €500 million for Ukrainian air defence.

Ukraine and Norway on NASAMS

The same day, and ahead of a new meeting of the Ramstein Group, Ukrainian Defence Minister Yevhenii Khmara spoke by phone with his Norwegian counterpart Tore Sandvik. The Ukrainian Defence Ministry notes that the two ministers reviewed progress on projects to integrate missiles into the NASAMS air defence systems, which are produced by Norway’s Kongsberg together with America’s RTX.

The discussion also covered the purchase of portable anti-aircraft systems, Norwegian contributions to PURL, faster delivery of air defence missiles and 20 mm ammunition for the F-16 cannons, which are proving very effective against jet-powered drones. Sandvik confirmed that Oslo will continue large purchases of Ukrainian drones for the Ukrainian armed forces. “We appreciate the consistency and strength of this support. It gives us predictability,” Khmara said.

The visit coincides with the first day of the trilateral talks between Ukraine, the U.S. and Russia in Abu Dhabi and with the Russian campaign against Ukrainian infrastructure, following strikes with North Korean KN-23 missiles on an energy facility. In an interview with Danish DR, Zelensky said the fastest path to the end of the war is for the two sides to stay on their positions, stop the fire and move to diplomacy.