MILAN — Two Nordic countries have signed a joint declaration to send additional combat vehicles to Ukraine in the latest show of support for the country as another year of repulsions against Russian forces soon comes to an end.
The letter of intent, signed on December 18, states that “Denmark and Sweden will leverage their industrial capabilities to [additional] We will deliver 90 newly manufactured combat vehicles to Ukraine,” the Swedish Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
“Since Sweden donated 50 CV90s earlier this year, the CV90 has been, and continues to be, an important addition to Ukraine’s defense,” said Swedish Defense Minister Poul Jonsson.
This follows an agreement signed between Stockholm and Kiev in August that promised to increase cooperation between the allies on the production and maintenance of infantry fighting vehicles.
At the time, the deal was believed to be a first step toward establishing joint manufacturing of the CV90 in Ukraine, but Swedish executives have never commented on plans to that effect.
Under the latest agreement, the Danish government will initially contribute $264 million, after which Stockholm will proceed with ordering and acquiring infantry fighting vehicles manufactured by BAE Systems Hägglund.
The specific number of vehicles and delivery date have not been disclosed.
Recent CV90 orders include Slovakia, which purchased 152 units for $137 billion, and the Czech Republic, which purchased 246 units for $2.2 billion. The overall components of the deal were not disclosed, but in either case, the average price for each CV90 will be approximately $9 million.
In September, Denmark’s Ministry of Defense announced that it would provide Ukraine with $833 million worth of military aid, to be distributed in full over three years. The package includes tanks, IFVs, tank ammunition and anti-aircraft guns.
Elizabeth Gosselin Maro is Defense News’ Europe correspondent. She covers a wide range of topics related to military procurement and international security, and specializes in reporting in the aviation sector. She is based in Milan, Italy.