United States arms deals signed by Sweden, Denmark, and Norway for Ukraine's defense forces
The Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway have announced plans to purchase US weapons worth approximately $500 million (€433 million) to support Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia. This move is part of a coordinated NATO effort led by the US, aimed at maintaining and increasing arms supplies to Ukraine.
The purchases were announced under a mechanism agreed upon last month by US President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. The mechanism allows other countries to contribute to the support of Ukraine with military equipment from US stocks.
Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans of the Netherlands announced the Dutch pledge on the online platform X, stating that supporting Ukraine increases negotiating pressure on Russia. The Netherlands' contribution to the mechanism is valued at approximately $275 million (€236 million).
Sweden's government announced similar plans on Tuesday, with contributions directed towards air defense systems, anti-tank systems, ammunition, and spare parts. Germany also plans to support Kyiv in a similar manner.
The Netherlands had previously pledged to support Kyiv with US weapons worth €500 million. The current status is that under the Trump-Rutte deal announced in July 2025, several European NATO allies—including Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands—are purchasing U.S. weapons like Patriot missiles to replenish their own stockpiles after sending military equipment to Ukraine.
Germany has recently announced sending two Patriot missile systems to Kyiv soon, signaling initial deliveries under this framework. However, the deal mainly formalizes a supply mechanism where Europeans supply existing equipment to Ukraine and buy new U.S. weapons to replace their inventories, rather than new direct U.S. pledges of arms to Ukraine.
The process for new equipment orders can take up to 42 months, so current deliveries mainly involve transfers and replacements rather than rapid new shipments. The key points include the fact that the Trump administration continues delivering weapons promised under the Biden administration but has not added new direct weapon pledges to Ukraine.
Moreover, European countries participating in the deal are boosting defense spending, aligning with NATO targets to reach 5% of GDP by 2034, with arms for Ukraine a significant component of that increase. The "Trump-Rutte deal" serves as a logistics and procurement framework to accelerate and coordinate European weapons purchases from the U.S. and deliveries to Ukraine through the NATO system.
Recently, the Russian army has gained significant ground in its attack on Ukraine. Trump has increased pressure on Moscow for a ceasefire, setting a deadline of this coming Friday for Russia to end its attacks on Ukraine. These purchases are a significant step towards strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities and increasing the pressure on Russia to negotiate a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
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The Commission, amidst the escalating war-and-conflicts in Ukraine, has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation, given the increased military activities and potential use of nuclear weapons. Such a move aligns with broader political discussions and general news regarding the ongoing conflict.
Politics surrounding the Ukraine-Russia conflict have necessitated the Protection of Workers from Ionizing Radiation proposal, as it is part of a broader effort to enhance peace and security in the region, as well as safeguard workers involved in activities related to the conflict.
