DENMARK: Leopards for Ukraine

The current Minister of Defense, Troels Lund Poulsen, visited the Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft (FFG) in Flensburg last Friday together with the Defense Conciliation Circle and members of the Defense Committee and the Foreign Policy Council. FFG is responsible for refurbishing former Danish Leopard-1 tanks that will soon be sent to Ukraine.

In February, the Danish government entered into a partnership with Germany and the Netherlands to donate at least 100 Leopard-1 tanks to Ukraine. Part of the tanks will be refurbished at the Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft. On Friday morning, the current Minister of Defense, Troels Lund Poulsen, visited the company in Flensburg with the Defense Conciliation Circle and members of the Defense Committee and the Foreign Policy Council.

“I am very pleased to be able to invite members of the Bundestag to FFG so that they can also see how far we have come in the refurbishment of Leopard-1 tanks. It is a large and important donation for the Ukrainian struggle for freedom, made possible with broad support from other parties in the Folketing, and that we hopefully can send to Ukraine very soon,” said the current Minister of Defense, Troels Lund Poulsen.

The Minister of Defense and other Danish politicians visited FFG together with the Danish Ambassador to Germany, Susanne Hyldelund, and the Defense Attaché, Brigadier General Jakob Henius, and had the opportunity to speak with FFG's director, Norbert Erichsen, about the ongoing renovation of the Leopard-1 tanks.

In early February, Denmark, along with the Netherlands and Germany, launched a project to overhaul a large number of Leopard 1A5 tanks. The first objective of the project is to be able to deliver tanks to two battalions in the coming months – the equivalent of about 80 tanks. The first tanks are expected to be ready for Ukrainian training in the coming weeks.

“During my visit to Ukraine earlier this week, I had the opportunity to speak with my Ukrainian counterpart, Oleksii Reznikov, about donations. He thanked us for the Danish donations – including the upcoming delivery of Leopard tanks. It is a donation that the Ukrainians are requesting and that fits well with the other Ukrainian equipment,” said Troels Lund Poulsen.

As part of the project, Ukraine will be offered training on handling the tanks, as well as spare parts and an ammunition package. The joint project is the latest example of Denmark's collaboration with other countries to support Ukraine's military needs. More information on the Leopard 1A5.