The United States Approves $8.5 Billion Arms Deal for Denmark to Support Ukraine

The U.S. government has agreed to sell advanced "Patriot" air defense systems and other weaponry to its NATO ally, Denmark, in a major deal aimed at bolstering Ukrainian defenses.

The U.S. State Department approved the deal, which "is estimated to be worth $8.5 billion and includes 6 launch platforms, radar and guidance systems, and associated missiles."

This move comes in response to Ukraine's ongoing request, as "Kyiv has been asking its Western allies for months to provide Patriot systems for better protection of its cities against Russian airstrikes."

Denmark, like other allied countries, is seeking to supply Ukraine with advanced weaponry to help it counter Russian attacks. Since Denmark does not possess these systems, it is compelled to purchase them from the United States before transferring them to Ukraine.

This deal is part of a strategy initiated by NATO allies, where "allies within the Atlantic Alliance have been purchasing American systems and transferring them to Ukrainian forces" amid recent hesitance from the United States to directly fund additional arms shipments. The Netherlands had previously taken a similar approach when it purchased Patriot systems to provide to Ukraine.