New Delhi: Denmark, which will soon be sending a battalion of Leopard tanks to Kyiv, has said that the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war is unlikely to end early. The war will be completing a year on 24 February.
The ongoing conflict that has devastated the European as well as the world economy even as energy prices globally have spiralled out of control will be discussed between Copenhagen and New Delhi when the Danish Frederik André Henrik Christian and Crown Princess Mary Elizabeth visit India on February 26 – March 2.
The Crown Prince and Princess will be accompanied by senior ministers, who will be taking up this issue and also India-Denmark Green Strategic Partnership with their Indian counterparts, according to Freddy Svane, Ambassador of Denmark to India.
"There are no indications that this war will come to an end that early. We see a lot of support from the western side to Ukraine, why? Because Ukraine is an independent, democratic country and it was attacked by Russia," Svane said in response to a question by ABP Live.
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He said that not helping Ukraine with munitions will prove to be “harmful not only from the regional context but also in the global context.”
The ministers who will be accompanying the Crown Prince and Crown Princess are Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Magnus Heunicke, Minister for Environment and Lars Aagaard, Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities.
"So, whatever is needed for Ukraine we will help Ukraine and Denmark stands firmly behind Ukraine … As long as they want our support we are there," the envoy added.
Denmark along with Germany and the Netherlands have decided to supply Ukraine with around 100 refurbished Leopard-1A5 battle tanks to Kyiv.
The visit of the Danish Crown Prince and Princess will be the first visit from the Royal Family of Denmark in two decades. The Crown Prince had last visited India in 2003. They will also be accompanied by a large business delegation.
"We are sadly coming close to one year to this unprovoked war. Let’s hope that there will be good gift from Mr. Putin and the war gets over … We have to understand that this war is happening in European territory, it was and it is an unprovoked war and of course countries with ambition should do whatever they can to stop this war," he added.
He also said that Denmark expects India to play a key role in convincing Russia to put an end to the war.
"Given the profile of India and importance of India, also the internationally acknowledged role and importance of Prime Minister (Narendra Modi), India would do whatever it can," Svane said referring to Modi’s last meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Uzbekistan, on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) where the PM said "this is not an era of war".
On India-Denmark Green Strategic Partnership, Svane said this is a "security issue" between both the countries. The Foreign Minister will be meeting the External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
"India and Denmark as vibrant and open democracies, share common values of a rules-based international order and convergence of views on significant multilateral issues. The visit is expected to further strengthen and enhance the close and friendly ties between India and Denmark," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.