Europe must 'step up' as US halts arms to Ukraine
Frederiksen meanwhile stressed that the Nordic nation would push for Ukraine membership in the EU. "Ukraine is a part of our European family, and it has been very important for us that President Zelensky has been able to join us here today... Our European family would not be complete without his presence," Frederiksen said. Ukraine launched its bid to become an EU member in the aftermath of Russia's 2022 attack, but it has stalled because of opposition from Hungary.
"We must strengthen Ukraine. And we must weaken Russia," Frederiksen said in a statement earlier on Thursday announcing Zelensky's attendance in Aarhus, Denmark's second largest city.
Frederiksen has stressed the importance of European security, which she has linked to a strict migration policy, and the country has promised to push the agenda and champion Ukraine during its EU presidency.
Russian strikes have intensified in the absence of progress on resolving the conflict, and the US moves have severely hampered Kyiv, which has relied on Western military support since Russia launched its full-scale attack in February 2022. "Ukraine is essential to Europe's security. Our contribution to Ukraine is also a protection of our freedom," Frederiksen said. "Ukraine belongs in the European Union. It is in both Denmark's and Europe's interest. Therefore, the Danish EU presidency will do everything we can to help Ukraine on their way towards EU membership."
Denmark's Europe minister Marie Bjerre told reporters earlier on Thursday that Ukraine's EU membership bid was "very important for us". "We are still trying to lift the resistance from Hungary," she said. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said that Ukraine's membership of the EU would "ruin" the 27-nation bloc. Using its veto power, Hungary has effectively frozen the accession process. Ukraine has insisted it still hopes Budapest can be brought around, claiming intensive work is being done "behind the scenes".
US President Donald Trump has effectively nixed Ukraine's attempts to join the Nato military alliance. As Zelensky arrived in Denmark, he announced that Ukraine has signed a deal with US company American company Swift Beat to produce drones for Ukraine's military. In a post to X, Zelensky said the company "foresees hundreds of thousands of drones this year alone, with the potential to significantly scale up production in the coming year."
The Danish government said on Thursday's discussions in Aarhus with von der Leyen and Zelensky would include increased military support, cooperation with the Ukrainian defence industry and new sanctions against Russia. The Nordic nation has also made repeated calls for Europe to boost defence spending. Denmark wants to move forward on a European plan presented in March to increase the defence capabilities of EU countries using simplified procedures and loans to finance investments in the European defence industry. It has already begun increasing its own defence spending, which now exceeds three percent of GDP.
Meanwhile, mourners gathered at an ornate Orthodox cathedral in Kyiv on Thursday to pay their final respects to a Ukrainian F-16 pilot who died while fending off a Russian bombardment. Ukraine received F-16s from its allies following months of appeals last year, and the fighter jets have been deployed to thwart escalating Russian aerial barrages. Pilot Maksym Ustymenko was killed during Russia's largest-ever aerial assault on June 29, when Moscow launched 537 drones and missiles at targets across Ukraine. — AFP
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