On August 24th, on Sophia Square in Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska led the solemn and celebratory events marking Ukraine’s 34 years of independence.
The occasion brought together global leaders and partners of Ukraine — including Denmark’s Minister of Defence Troels Lund Poulsen and four members of the Danish Parliament: Anna Falkenberg, Martin Lidegaard, Pernille Vermund, and Sascha Faxe.
Together with Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy General Keith Kellogg, defence ministers from Sweden, Romania, Lithuania, Latvia, Canada, and more, the Danish delegation stood united in solidarity with Ukraine. A tribute was paid to the fallen heroes who sacrificed everything for Ukraine’s freedom with a moment of silence and deep respect.
Afterwards, Troels Lund Poulsen took part in a forum dedicated to defence cooperation and production for modern warfare needs. Participants highlighted the importance of advancing Ukraine’s defence industry, applauding the effectiveness of the “Danish model” of financing Ukrainian defence production and exploring new avenues of support.
Ukrainian Minister of Defence Denys Shmyhal met with Troels Lund Poulsen and Danish parliamentary representatives to address the current battlefield needs and strategic priorities — including strengthening Ukraine’s air defense systems and developing long-range weaponry.
“We expect the Build with Ukraine initiative to play a significant role in achieving these objectives. I sincerely thank Mr. Poulsen for this visit on Independence Day. I am grateful to Denmark, its government, and its people for their comprehensive support, which reinforces the defence capabilities of Ukraine and Europe,” said Minister Shmyhal.
