Denmark Vows More Training for Ukrainian Troops Despite Conflict’s Economic Blowback
Ukrainian soldiers inspect a damaged military vehicle after fighting in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022
Russia’s Embassy in Denmark slammed the Nordic country’s previous efforts to train Ukrainian soldiers and deliver arms as “betting on Kiev’s military victory” and “delaying the peace.” The embassy warned that such steps would lead to a “further escalation of the conflict” and “inevitable losses for Ukraine.”Denmark is ramping up its support for Ukraine, despite previous warnings from Moscow and the heavy toll that anti-Russian sanctions have levied on the Danish economy, undermining its growth and threatening with power outages. Copenhagen forged an agreement with Kiev, whereby Ukrainian soldiers will be trained on Danish soil.
“I can't go into the details of the arrangement, but the Ukrainian military will be trained in Denmark,” Danish Defense Minister Morten Bødskov told TV2 while he was visiting the Ukrainian capital, Kiev.
Denmark has been increasing its military support for Ukraine despite numerous cautionary statements from Moscow directed against the West. Earlier, in August, it was reported that Denmark would contribute 130 instructors to the UK-led project this autumn to train Ukrainian soldiers with limited or no military experience. At the time, Defense Minister Morten Bødskov also proposed additional training in Denmark, including for Ukrainian commanders.Russia’s ambassador to Denmark slammed the country’s previous decision to train Ukrainian soldiers as “delaying the peace.” “Instead of calling on Ukraine to end the conflict through negotiations, Denmark is betting on Kiev’s military victory,” Vladimir Barbin said. The embassy added that this would lead to a “further escalation of the conflict” and “inevitable losses for Ukraine.”
Russia’s Special Operation in Ukraine’Another Step Up the Escalation Ladder’: Denmark Sends 130 Instructors to Train Ukrainian Soldiers11 August, 05:49 GMTDanish arms assistance in the past has included armored personnel carriers, anti-tank mines, Harpoon naval missiles, and mortar bombs. By the end of May alone, Denmark contributed DKK 2bln ($270mln) worth of arms to Ukraine. Moreover, Copenhagen has condemned Russia’s special operation in Ukraine and has eagerly supported all rounds of EU sanctions against Moscow. Furthermore, Denmark was in favor of a blanket EU ban on Russian tourists, a measure backed by Poland and the Baltic nations.However, as a result of self-maiming EU sanctions against Russia, Denmark’s inflation rate reached its highest level in nearly four decades, with the consumer price index in August soaring by 8.9 percent from last year, fueled by a rise in food and energy prices that threatens to thwart economic growth in the Nordic country.Earlier in September, the Danish National Bank raised the key interest rate by 0.75 percent to 0.65 percent, abandoning its minus rate in the highest increase since 1998. Furthermore, amid Europe’s unprecedented power crisis exacerbated by Brussels’ sanctions against Russian energy, Danish authorities have warned citizens of looming outages during the coming winter.
