COPENHAGEN

Denmark expressed its pride on Thursday over the latest NATO report showing that the country ranks as the top military aid donor to Ukraine, measured as a percentage of GDP.

"The information from NATO underlines that military support for Ukraine is an absolute priority for the government. In my view, this is a clear expression of Denmark's support for Ukraine as long as it is needed. And it is a support that we in Denmark can be proud of," Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said in a press release.

The Ukraine Defense Contact Group met on Wednesday, marking the first meeting in the format for newly appointed US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

The same day, US President Donald Trump spoke to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin about ending the conflict in Ukraine. Hegseth also ruled out NATO membership for Ukraine.

On Thursday, NATO ministers are meeting with Hegseth, where discussions are set to surround defense spending, industrial production, and the war in Ukraine.

"In light of the recent US announcements, I also expect an honest discussion on how Europe can take greater responsibility for European security — not only for our own but also for Ukraine's. I see a United States that remains strongly committed to NATO and that it expects more from Europe. I fully share that ambition," Poulsen said in the statement.

Following a high-level meeting with Hegseth in Brussels on Wednesday, Poulsen said Denmark and the US have differing perspectives on Ukraine's NATO membership, according to Danish state-run broadcaster SR.

During his visit to the Belgian capital, the US defense chief requested a separate meeting with Poulsen to discuss pressing security matters, including Ukraine’s bid for NATO membership.