United to win: Danish mayor spends autumn vacation driving vehicle to Kyiv for Ukrainian military

21.10.2026, 16:23 rubryka.com

As Ziegler noted, this was his first time joining the volunteer organization Biler til Ukraine ("Cars for Ukraine"), which delivers transport to the Ukrainian military. After learning about the initiative, he offered himself as a driver.

Approximately a month later, a spot opened up for a trip during the autumn break. The mayor hesitated because of the potential danger, but after speaking with his loved ones, he decided to go.

He explained that he wanted to do more than just talk about supporting Ukraine in safe Denmark. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, the Høje-Taastrup municipality has welcomed about 400 Ukrainian refugees.

Twice a year, the mayor addresses them—on Ukraine's Independence Day and on the anniversary of the full-scale war.

"What makes these speeches different from others is that you can see the pain they carry inside. Many have tears in their eyes," Ziegler said.

The road to Kyiv and night alarms

The Danish mayor traveled in a group of volunteers who delivered ten cars in total. There were two drivers in each car, and some participants already had experience with such trips.

After approximately 500 kilometers of driving, Ziegler began noticing cemeteries with Ukrainian flags near the graves of fallen soldiers. And 80 kilometers from Kyiv, GPS navigators stopped working. According to him, this was related to signal jamming by Ukrainian air defense during air attacks. Therefore, the cars moved close to one another with hazard lights on.

After handing over the vehicle in Kyiv, where the delivery address is not disclosed, the mayor visited Bucha and the Lukianivka neighborhood, which suffered from bombings.

At the hotel, air raid sirens sounded three times in one night. Each time, Ziegler walked down the stairs from the 11th floor to the basement. During one of the descents, he heard distant explosions.

Biler til Ukraine continues to deliver transport for the Ukrainian military. As of September 2026, the organization has transferred 952 cars to Ukraine. The next trip was set to be the thousandth in terms of the number of delivered vehicles.

At the Kyiv hotel, Ziegler also met volunteers from Finland representing a similar initiative.

"If such initiatives exist in all European countries where good people do what they can, it still makes a difference," the Danish mayor concluded.

BackgroundIt should be noted that in Lviv, British volunteers from Mighty Convoy delivered another batch of vehicles for the Ukrainian military and humanitarian needs. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, the team has completed 26 convoys to Ukraine and delivered 111 vehicles in total.

Additionally, a charity evening, "Obráncům Ukrajiny" ("To the Defenders of Ukraine"), took place in Prague, dedicated to raising funds for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Czech volunteers, benefactors, and friends of Ukraine joined the event, with special guests including service members of the 39th Separate Battalion of Unmanned Systems currently in the Czech Republic.