Ukraine has started negotiations with Denmark on a bilateral security agreement, following the instructions of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Secretary of the Presidential Administration Andriy Yermak, the President’s Office announced on February 8.
With its bid for NATO stalled, Ukraine is instead negotiating bilateral defense deals with partners such as Denmark, part of a broader effort to solidify the West’s long-term security. It’s part of the process.
“The talks began as part of the implementation of the G7 Joint Declaration on Support for Ukraine, of which we were among the first countries to join, along with Denmark and the Nordic countries,” the statement said.
The Ukrainian delegation was headed by Ihor Zhovkva, Deputy Secretary of the President’s Office, and the Danish delegation was led by Lisbeth Gilmer-Johns, Secretary of State at the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. According to the announcement, Denmark’s security pledge restates the “unwavering and strong support, including military assistance” that Denmark has provided since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale aggression.
The parties discussed key elements of potential bilateral security commitments and agreed on a schedule for further negotiations.
On January 14, at Davos, Ukraine began negotiating a security agreement with Romania.
During the NATO summit in Vilnius in July, the G7 countries agreed to provide Ukraine with long-term security commitments and arrangements. The declaration affirms support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and condemns Russian aggression. It states that the strongest guarantee is to support Ukraine’s self-defense in accordance with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.
It outlines bilateral security cooperation on:
- Equip the Ukrainian army with the necessary equipment such as air defense, artillery, armored vehicles, and fighter aircraft. It also covers training, intelligence sharing, and the development of the defense industry in Ukraine.
- Rebuild Ukraine’s economy and energy infrastructure.
- Provides financial and technical assistance to meet urgent wartime needs.
Both countries have vowed to hold Russia accountable for its war crimes and continue to freeze Russian assets in order to pay reparations. In return, Ukraine will commit to reforms that protect democracy, human rights, and press freedom. Ukraine is also committed to carrying out defense reforms and modernization, including strengthening democratic control of the military and improving the efficiency and transparency of defense institutions and industry.
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