Mette Frederiksen admitted that Denmark and different nations made a mistake by slicing their defence spending as she introduced a 50bn Danish kroner (£5.5bn) bundle, saying: “It mustn’t ever occur once more.”
The Danish prime minister elevated defence spending to three% of GDP within the subsequent two years – up from 2.4% in 2024 – as she stated Denmark wanted a “huge rearmament” to keep away from warfare.
Talking at a press convention in Christiansborg Palace on Wednesday, she stated the rise in defence spending would convey it to “the best degree in over half a century”.
Denmark has come beneath big stress in current weeks – first over Donald Trump’s plan to take management of Greenland, which is a part of the dominion of Denmark, after which over US warnings about slicing assist to Europe.
“Now we have had to concentrate to loads, each right here in Denmark and in Greenland, and basically as Europeans,” Frederiksen stated. “We’re in essentially the most harmful state of affairs in lots of, a few years.”
Frederiksen stated her message to the Danish chief of defence was: “Purchase, purchase, purchase.”
She added: “If we will’t get one of the best tools, purchase the following finest. There’s just one factor that counts now, and that’s pace.”
She stated Russian president Vladimir Putin was within the technique of rearmament. “We don’t know what he’s planning, however we all know that he and Russia are within the technique of rearming.”
Responding to the US president’s false declare on Tuesday that Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, “began” the warfare with Russia, Frederiksen stated: “Ukraine has not began any warfare. Ukraine has not needed any warfare.”
She added: “There is just one aggressive social gathering.”
The 50bn Danish kroner “acceleration fund” might be used to make speedy investments in preventing functionality aimed toward strengthening short-term defence capabilities and assembly Nato necessities.
The Danish defence minister, Troels Lund Poulsen, stated: “Inside two years, Russia may pose a reputable menace to 1 or a number of Nato nations if Nato doesn’t construct up its personal navy energy in the identical charge as Russia. This requires swift political motion.”
The announcement got here amid a temper of panic throughout Europe after a dramatic overseas coverage shift in Washington.
The French president, Emmanuel Macron, on Wednesday held a gathering on Ukraine to coordinate Europe’s response to what he described because the “existential menace” posed by Russia.
Additionally on Wednesday, Sweden and Poland agreed to “strengthen and deepen cooperation” politically and in civil safety and civil defence, citing the worsened safety state of affairs throughout Europe.
In an announcement of intent, the Polish inside minister, Tomasz Siemoniak, and Swedish civil defence minister, Carl-Oskar Bohlin, stated they’d work collectively to enhance nationwide resilience and preparedness methods, present Ukraine assist on strengthening nationwide resilience, enhance safety within the Baltic area and cooperate on “figuring out and analysing hybrid threats and countering its penalties”.
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