© Photo: Ida Marie Odgaard/Ritzau ScanpixPrime Minister Mette Frederiksen during question time at parliament on Tuesday.
"We must upgrade massively to protect Denmark. And we must rearm massively to avoid war," Frederiksen told parliament on Tuesday.
She did not disclose any details or sums, but according to Danish public broadcaster DR, the government is expected to announce
the creation of a 50-billion-kroner ($7 billion) fund for additional defence spending in 2025-2026.
The government had considered doubling the size of the fund, but determined that there was currently not enough defence equipment on offer to be able to purchase for a larger amount, according to the broadcaster.
Among the items on the government's wishlist are air defence systems, which it does not currently have, DR said.
Frederiksen told parliament the rearming would need to happen "quickly", amidst a "difficult situation for our country, kingdom and continent."
Denmark is currently experiencing "the most dangerous situation in our lifetime."
"This is worse than during the Cold War," she said.
After emergency talks in Paris over the US change in policy on the Ukraine war, Frederiksen warned that Russia is "threatening all of Europe now".The war in Ukraine has been about Russia's "imperial dreams, about building a stronger and a bigger Russia, and I don't think they're going to stop in Ukraine", she told reporters.
She warned the US against attempts to agree on a "fast" ceasefire that would give Russia the chance "to mobilise again, attack Ukraine or another country in Europe".
Should the Danish fund's size be confirmed at 50 billion kroner, that would bring Denmark's defence spending to three percent of its gross domestic product (GDP), according to Danish daily Berlingske.
US President Donald Trump has demanded that NATO allies more than double their defence spending targets to five percent of GDP.The United States currently spends around 3.4 percent of GDP on defence.
Denmark has been one of Ukraine's strongest backers.
Since the outbreak of the war in February 2022, Danish support to Ukraine has amounted to some $7.52 billion in military support and around $741 million in civilian contributions, according to the Danish foreign ministry.
Comment:
The recent spending efforts with the past donations to Ukraine could indicate that warring and militarism has become some kind of elite sport with large public support for being in the top. A screenshot of this
Tweet shows the sentiments, though to be fair, the comments to the post include dissenting voices, also some that appear to be local.
© X.com
Some background and context for the decision of the small northern european country of just six million to spend so much on rearmament.
1)
Tuesday, February 18th, 2025: was one day after the Danish PM had been in Paris for a talk with other European leaders, including Mark Rutte, Secretary General of NATO.
2) Present was also Ursula von der Leyen:
In the above picture, the Danish PM is seated with Olaf Scholz to her left, with Dutch PM, Dick Shoof to her right, and fourth to the right of Ursula von der Leyen, with the red jacket.
The reason Denmark is the only Nordic and Baltic country present, can be explained by Denmark in 2025 having the chair of the
Nordic Baltic Eight group (Wiki).
3) Looking at the image from the event, Urusla von der Leyen is seated more or less opposite Emanuel Macron, the official host. To her right is seated, (the guest of honour?), NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, who appears as if he is having the time of his life. Is the observation of significance? To find out, first we can look at, what Von der Leyen said about the meeting, then what Mark Rutte has been promoting over the last few months.
In the Tweet from the 13th President of the European Commission, the words are, in case the Tweet gets deleted:
Today in Paris we reaffirmed that Ukraine deserves peace through strength. Peace respectful of its independance, sovereignty, territorial integrity, with strong security guarantees. Europe carries its full share of the military assistance to Ukraine. At the same time we need a surge in defence in Europe.
Such a formulation ressembles what one would expect from a military alliance. Is there any connection?
The statements over the past few months from Mark Rutte might further show the background for the sudden Danish decision. Below are three articles from the months after the US election and prior to the meeting:
23 Nov. 2024 at 09:32 - updated 23 nov. 2024 at 12:35 from RTBF.be
Donald Trump met the secretary general of NATO Mark Rutte
The secretary general of NATO Mark Rutte met the American president elected Donald Trump on Friday in Palm Beach, Florida, on Friday, the spokesperson for the Atlantic Alliance announced on Saturday. 'They discussed all the global security problems with which the Alliance is confronted,' said this spokesperson, Farah Dakhlallah, in a short press release, without further detail.
13 December. 2024 (Updated 24 December. 2024) from AFP and EURACTIV.com
NATO: Mark Rutte invites allies to double defense spending objectives
In his first speech after taking office as secretary general of NATO in October, Mark Rutte had already mentioned the importance of increased defence spending. At an event organised in Brussels by the think tank Carnegie Thursday, 12 December, the former Dutch Prime minister said : "We're going to need a lot more than 2 % [...], but let me be frank, if you just want to spend more and not spend more, you have to go up at least 4 %".According to him, the target of 2 % would allow the allies to be safe today, but may not be "in four or five years". Although he claimed that there was no imminent threat to NATO territory, he emphasized that the danger is closer "high speed". "No, we are not at war. But we are certainly not at peace no more", he said. "It is time to move to a state of mind in time of war."
In this article in French, there is if translated:
23 January 2025 at 11:41 from Boursorama.com:
Davos: Europe will finance American weapons intended for Ukraine, says Rutte
'Regarding Ukraine, we need the United States to also remain involved,' said Mark Rutte.
'If the new Trump administration wishes to continue to supply Ukraine from its industrial defense base, the bill will be paid by Europeans, I am absolutely convinced, we must be ready to do so,' he added.
4) There are still more perspectives, because apart from being asked to, Denmark has been an ardent supporter of the war efforts in Ukraine. In this regard, The Kiel Institute for World Economy has issue its 3rd
report. Two illustrative diagrams show the support from different countries in Europe:
© Kiel Institute for the World Economy
© Kiel Institute for the World Economy
Is the Danish Government and its administration and supporters motivated by real knowledge, objective reasoning, programming, secret revelation, blackmail, power, ego, fear, psychopathy, or driven by powerful hidden forces few recognize? There might be more than one answer, depending on whom you ask.
Comment:
The recent spending efforts with the past donations to Ukraine could indicate that warring and militarism has become some kind of elite sport with large public support for being in the top. A screenshot of this Tweet shows the sentiments, though to be fair, the comments to the post include dissenting voices, also some that appear to be local.
1) Tuesday, February 18th, 2025: was one day after the Danish PM had been in Paris for a talk with other European leaders, including Mark Rutte, Secretary General of NATO.
2) Present was also Ursula von der Leyen:
In the above picture, the Danish PM is seated with Olaf Scholz to her left, with Dutch PM, Dick Shoof to her right, and fourth to the right of Ursula von der Leyen, with the red jacket.
The reason Denmark is the only Nordic and Baltic country present, can be explained by Denmark in 2025 having the chair of the Nordic Baltic Eight group (Wiki).
3) Looking at the image from the event, Urusla von der Leyen is seated more or less opposite Emanuel Macron, the official host. To her right is seated, (the guest of honour?), NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, who appears as if he is having the time of his life. Is the observation of significance? To find out, first we can look at, what Von der Leyen said about the meeting, then what Mark Rutte has been promoting over the last few months.
In the Tweet from the 13th President of the European Commission, the words are, in case the Tweet gets deleted: Such a formulation ressembles what one would expect from a military alliance. Is there any connection?
The statements over the past few months from Mark Rutte might further show the background for the sudden Danish decision. Below are three articles from the months after the US election and prior to the meeting:
23 Nov. 2024 at 09:32 - updated 23 nov. 2024 at 12:35 from RTBF.be 13 December. 2024 (Updated 24 December. 2024) from AFP and EURACTIV.com In this article in French, there is if translated:
23 January 2025 at 11:41 from Boursorama.com: 4) There are still more perspectives, because apart from being asked to, Denmark has been an ardent supporter of the war efforts in Ukraine. In this regard, The Kiel Institute for World Economy has issue its 3rd report. Two illustrative diagrams show the support from different countries in Europe: