The governments of the Netherlands and Denmark announced Thursday the purchase of 14 Leopard 2A4 tanks to be sent to Ukraine, although the final delivery »probably» will be delayed until 2024, with the aim of further assisting Ukrainian forces to continue to face Russian aggression.
The two countries will share the costs, which will amount to 165 million euros. Both the Netherlands and Denmark have previously participated in another coalition to acquire such tanks, which they consider essential to strengthen Ukraine’s battlefield capabilities against Russia.
Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren praised the »determination» of the Ukrainian forces and the importance of this type of assistance. »Ukrainian and European security are inextricably linked,» she stressed in a statement.
Also Denmark’s acting head of Defense, Troels Lund Poulsen, has emphasized in another note that helping Ukraine is »absolutely crucial» to achieve peace in the whole continent. That is why he has advocated sending »modern Western tanks» such as the German-made Leopard 2A4.
The two countries will give an account of this latest tank deal at Friday’s scheduled meeting of the Ukrainian Defense Contact Group. The Netherlands is also involved in two initiatives for the joint purchase of 155-millimeter artillery ammunition.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
