Denmark Allocates €645 Million for Ukraine’s Defense as Britain Targets Major Russian Oil Producers
Key Facts
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a speech on November 13 that Denmark had allocated a €645 million defense package for Ukraine, including additional ammunition for F-16s. The assistance puts aviation equipment and drones among the priorities of Danish military support, according to details announced by Zelenskyy. Denmark had announced the package on November 10, alongside separate energy support worth €20 million. The energy funding is going to the Kherson region, according to the Ukrainian president. This came as Britain tightened sanctions on Russia’s oil sector, in two tracks, one aimed at supporting Ukraine’s capabilities and the other at limiting Moscow’s revenues.
Zelenskyy described Denmark’s contribution as the “largest package” among those he had discussed, and said it would include more F-16 ammunition. The November 10 announcement detailed how the defense funding would be spent: on attack drones, aircraft ammunition and Ukrainian interceptor drones, as well as the PURL initiative. This allocation gives the package a scope beyond a single type of equipment, bringing together offensive and interceptor capabilities and aviation ammunition support. The announcement confirmed that the amount was allocated for defense, while keeping energy support separate. Denmark allocated the energy funding to Kherson, without linking it in the announcement to railway protection or specifying other uses for it.
The Ukrainian presidency said the package was Denmark’s 32nd defense assistance package for Ukraine. The figure places the new funding within a continuing series of support from Copenhagen, while the announced amount for the current package remains €645 million. In his November 13 speech, Zelenskyy said he had discussed additional sanctions with Britain, after London released its announcement of new measures the previous day. The British announcement therefore came on November 12, a day before the Ukrainian president’s speech, rather than at the same time. The measures focused on Russian sources of revenue linked to oil, gas and coal, according to the British government.
The British government said it had become the first country to sanction all ten of Russia’s major oil producers. The measures included vessels from the “shadow fleet” carrying Russian oil and liquefied natural gas, as well as major coal companies. They also targeted Rosneft’s Vostok Oil project and Slavneft, according to London’s statement. The sanctions thus cover producers, companies, an oil project and vessels used to transport energy. The government said the measures were designed to target multiple links in Russia’s oil and gas revenue chain.
London said the pressure would cover producers, trading networks, supply chains and vessels, with the aim of restricting Russian revenues and war funding. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said peace talks had “made progress, but this is no time for complacency,” calling for continued pressure on Russia to agree to a full and immediate ceasefire. In the joint statement on the strategic dialogue, the British and Ukrainian governments agreed to step up cooperation on sanctions, including strengthening enforcement and countering sanctions evasion. They also pledged to work with the Group of Seven, the European Union and other partners to maintain and increase pressure on Russia. The agreement makes following up on sanctions enforcement and countering evasion part of the next phase of cooperation between London and Kyiv.
The British government pointed to a £10.5 billion support package for Ukraine announced in November. It said the package supports Ukraine’s economic resilience, expands the capacity to finance British exports and provides additional air defense support over the winter. The announcement separates economic assistance, export financing and military air support, alongside Denmark’s defense package, which focuses on drones and F-16 ammunition. The British statement did not specify an additional timetable for cooperation on sanctions, but it provided for working with the Group of Seven, the European Union and other partners. Countering evasion and strengthening enforcement remain among the issues the two sides agreed to continue working on.