During the 25th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (and the last under the Biden administration), several countries announced additional pledges to Ukraine, including the United States ($500 million), Canada ($305 million), and Norway (over $2 billion for 2025). While the future of military support for Ukraine remains uncertain, the country is promoting alternative ways to strengthen its military capabilities, including the 'Danish model,' which encourages financing from foreign governments for Ukraine's domestic military production. This model is gaining increasing popularity, having attracted €538 million in 2024 from Denmark, Sweden, and Iceland.
Military transfers to Ukraine and military training:
To date, the United States and other allies and partners of Ukraine have collectively committed more than $126 billion in security assistance since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
On January 9, at the Ramstein Summit, the United States announced a new Presidential Drawdown Authority package for Ukraine, valued at approximately $500 million. It includes AIM-7, RIM-7, and AIM-9M missiles for air defense; air-to-ground munitions; support equipment for F-16.
Ukraine has received less than half of the US aid allocated during full-scale war - Zelensky said during interview.
Norway plans to allocate 2 billion euros ($2.1 billion) for military aid to Ukraine in 2025. The 2025 assistance will mark the largest military aid package in Norway's history.
Canada announced a commitment of 440 million CAD (305 mln USD) in military assistance to Ukraine, bringing the total value of Canadian military aid to 4.5 billion CAD since the start of the war in February 2022. This contribution includes the contribution of 200 million CAD to Czechia’s initiative to procure and deliver large-calibre ammunition for Ukraine; an additional 50 CAD million will also be made available for procurement of various calibres of ammunition from Canadian industry. Canada also committed 100 million CAD to the Danish Model to support the production of military drones by Ukraine’s domestic defence industry.
Canada has trained over 43 thousand Ukrainian defenders as part of the UNIFIER mission.
The UK announced that 30,000 drones will be sent to Ukraine after £45 million worth of contracts were placed by the international Drone Capability Coalition, co-led by the UK and Latvia as the UK steps up leadership supporting Ukraine in 2025.
Germany announced that it will deliver nearly 50 additional missiles for the delivered IRIS-T systems to Ukraine. These were originally intended for the German Bundeswehr and are now being redirected from the industry to Ukraine. The Minister Pistorius also confirmed that the 30 M-84A4 MBTs and 30 M-80 IFVs that Germany acquired in Croatia via the Ringtausch programme for Ukraine were delivered at the end of last year.
The German-French defense association KNDS (KMW+Nexter Defense Systems) will transfer the first six newest 155-mm wheeled self-propelled artillery systems, RCH 155, to Ukraine this year.
Scholz blocks proposal for $3 billion arms package for Ukraine, Spiegel reported citing undisclosed sources. The initiative reportedly included the provision of weapons including three additional Iris-T air defense batteries, 10 howitzers, and more artillery ammunition.
Ukraine and Italy are discussing the possibility of purchasing Italian-made air defense systems using profits from frozen Russian assets.
The Indian company Sunita Tools has received a large order to supply 100,000 cases for 155-mm shells from an unknown customer. In 2024, Reuters published an investigation that highlighted schemes to purchase Indian ammunition for Ukraine. Italy and the Czech Republic, which leads the initiative to supply artillery shells from outside the European Union, are among the European countries that send Indian ammunition to Ukraine.
Military cooperation projects with partners:
In 2024, the Ukrainian Defense Forces received weapons worth almost €538 million thanks to the Danish model. The initiative envisages financing Ukrainian defense companies through the Danish government and other countries. This funding came from the governments of Denmark (€125 million), Sweden (€20 million), and Iceland (€2.7 million), as well as interest on frozen Russian assets (€390 million).
Denmark and Norway are expected to spend 178 million euros ($183 million) on arms purchases from Ukrainian manufacturers in 2025.
Ukraine and the Netherlands are strengthening cooperation in air defense and the production of drones.
Kyiv, Washington discuss licensing air defense production in Ukraine, Zelensky says.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence has contracted Rheinmetall for the provision of an additional supply of 35mm ammunition for the German-supplied Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft system. This latest order includes 180,000 rounds of HEI-T ammunition (High Explosive Incendiary with Tracer) and was placed in December 2024. The financial value of this order falls within the high double-digit million euro range and is being financed by Germany.
Rheinmetall has delivered the first KF41 Lynx infantry fighting vehicle to Ukraine. The delivery took place in December, and the vehicle is now being tested by the Ukrainian military for serial production.
Military production and internal affairs of Ukraine:
Ukraine has developed a shaped charge mine with a PTM-1L warhead. It is reported that the mine is adapted for remote mining from drones.
HIMERA, a Ukrainian manufacturer of secure communication systems, has demonstrated a communication ecosystem for G1 PRO tactical radios. The new elements of the secure communication ecosystem for G1 PRO tactical radios include B1 – network extender; E1 – Internet extender; R1 – a repeater with the function of transmitting radio communications via the Internet.