Denmark to Produce Ukrainian Artillery and Drones on Its Soil to Support Eastern Front Needs.

According to information published by the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine on Telegram, on August 24, 2025, Ukrainian Minister of Defence Denys Shmyhal hosted Denmark’s Minister of Defence Troels Lund Poulsen and members of the Danish Parliament in Kyiv for high-level talks on expanding bilateral defense cooperation. The meeting culminated in the announcement of a major industrial initiative under the Build with Ukraine program, which will see the large-scale production of Ukrainian weapons systems on Danish territory to accelerate the delivery of vital equipment to Ukraine’s frontline forces.
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Denmark will co-produce Ukrainian 155mm Bohdana howitzers, frontline and long-range drones, loitering munitions, and electronic warfare systems under the Build with Ukraine initiative. Ukrainian soldiers on the front (Picture source: Ukrainian MoD).

This landmark project is positioned as the next phase in what Shmyhal described as the “Danish model” of support, through which international partners directly invest in Ukrainian-made weapons rather than donating from national stockpiles. The model, first implemented by Denmark in 2023, has already proven effective in dramatically boosting the manufacturing capabilities of Ukraine’s defense industry. By launching co-production inside Denmark, the two countries aim to further streamline logistics, enhance resilience against Russian missile threats, and deepen the strategic industrial bond between Kyiv and Copenhagen.

Although official details of the planned production lines have not yet been released, multiple Ukrainian systems are strong candidates for joint manufacturing in Denmark. These include the 155mm Bohdana self-propelled howitzer, Ukraine’s most prominent NATO-standard artillery platform, as well as several categories of drones such as frontline reconnaissance UAVs, kamikaze loitering munitions, and long-range strike drones developed by Ukrainian defense firms. Denmark’s industrial base could also support the production of electronic warfare systems, anti-drone jammers, and remote weapon stations, while supplying key components for NATO-standard small arms, ammunition, and short-range air defense platforms. These systems are battlefield-tested and adaptable, making them ideal for rapid co-production in allied countries.

Discussions during the Independence Day visit also focused on Ukraine’s two most urgent military priorities: strengthening air defense systems to repel Russian missile and drone attacks, and accelerating the development of long-range strike capabilities intended to force Russia to negotiate from a position of deterrence. According to Shmyhal, the upcoming Danish-based production expansion will contribute directly to both of these objectives, while also reinforcing Ukraine’s role as a defense manufacturing partner within Europe.

The roots of this initiative can be traced back to June 24, 2025, when a Letter of Intent was signed between Ukraine’s then-Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and Poulsen, outlining plans to establish Ukrainian defense production facilities in Denmark with a startup budget of 500 million Danish kroner. That agreement was expanded in July to include joint production of three categories of unmanned aerial vehicles: frontline tactical drones, interceptor drones, and long-range attack drones. These projects are part of Ukraine’s wider strategy to build a resilient, distributed defense-industrial ecosystem both within and beyond its borders.

Denmark’s early adoption of the Ukrainian production model has already yielded measurable results. Ukrainian arms manufacturers, particularly in the artillery sector, have scaled up production rapidly with foreign backing. For instance, output of the domestically produced 155mm Bohdana self-propelled howitzer increased from six units per month in 2023 to over twenty per month by mid-2025. As of August 2025, more than $550 million had been invested into Ukraine’s defense sector through this model, with projections suggesting total support could surpass $1.7 billion before year-end.

The significance of this agreement goes far beyond bilateral cooperation. It marks a strategic pivot toward industrial co-production in allied countries, ensuring uninterrupted arms supply chains while reinforcing Europe’s collective defense posture. In addition to Denmark, Sweden has recently signed a similar agreement with Ukraine, signaling a broader trend of integrating Ukraine into Europe’s defense manufacturing network.

For Ukraine, which continues to face intense battlefield pressure from Russian forces across the eastern and southern fronts, the ability to rapidly supply its troops with domestically engineered and foreign-produced equipment could prove decisive. For Denmark and its NATO partners, investing in Ukraine’s defense industrial base is increasingly viewed not only as a gesture of solidarity but also as a forward-looking move to strengthen Europe’s collective security architecture.

This co-production model is poised to become a blueprint for future wartime collaboration in an era where industrial agility and frontline supply continuity are as critical as combat capabilities themselves.