Against a backdrop of tensions between NATO and Russia that show no signs of subsiding, a broad majority in Denmark’s parliament (the Folketing) earlier this week reached a defense agreement that will look to strengthen the Scandinavian country’s military preparedness.
The agreement, passed on Tuesday evening with the support of governing parties along with the Danish People’s Party (DF), the Green Left (SF), the Conservative People’s Party, and the Danish Social Liberal Party, increases the 2024-2028 defense budget by 4.7 billion euros and seeks to ensure the Danish Armed Forces meets its NATO commitments.
“Denmark once again stands out as a trustworthy and capable NATO ally. We put action and money behind our words, and we are now turbocharging the rearming of the Danish defense,” Simon Kollerup, defense spokesman for the ruling Social Democrats, told the press following the vote.
The budget expansion will be used, principally, to acquire ground-based air defense systems, strengthen anti-submarine capabilities, boost conscription, hasten procurement of maritime close-in air defense missiles, and ensure the continued development of the armed forces’ operational capability in a variety of spheres.
Compared to its neighbors, Denmark is “pretty far behind” on the air defense front, admitted Karsten Marrup, an army major and section chief at the Center for Air and Space Operations at the Royal Danish Defence College.
The country also aims to transform the 1st Brigade of the army, known as “the fist of the Danish army,” into a combat-ready unit with 6,000 soldiers prepared for deployment in NATO operations by 2028.
Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen, a member of the liberal Venstre party, explained the reasoning behind the agreement:
The security situation has deteriorated significantly since we agreed on a new defense agreement in June 2023. Russia is preparing for a protracted war and shows continued aggressive behavior that could pose a potential threat to NATO countries within a few years. Therefore, we have chosen to bring forward investments in a number of powerful and sought-after military capabilities so that we can contribute our share of NATO’s overall defense as soon as possible.
Under the agreement, the number of conscripts will increase from 4,700 to 7,500 annually, with the duration they are expected to serve extending from four to eleven months. Although today all conscripts are volunteers, the agreement allows compulsory military service in the case voluntary enlistment falls short. Starting from January 1, 2027, conscription will apply to both men and women, per a sub-agreement that the Danish Democrats and the Liberal Alliance did not sign on to.
Defense experts from the national-conservative Danish People’s Party and Danish Democrats, which are running on a joint list in the European elections, both expressed satisfaction with the plans to bolster the country’s defense capabilities.
“I am happy that we have finally reached an agreement that ensures the upgrading of Danish defense. It is good that more money is now going into the Armed Forces, that we will get better conditions for our soldiers, and that we will build up the brigade and the air force” Lise Bech, the defense spokeswoman for the Danish Democrats, said.
Danish People’s Party defense spokesman Alex Ahrendtsen also applauded the development and stressed the modernization of the Armed Forces is essential to combat what he views as a growing threat from NATO’s eastern flank.
Denmark is threatened by Russia. Therefore, the Danish People’s Party is very satisfied that we are getting significantly more conscripts, both men and women, strengthening further training with salaries for the soldiers, opening up public-private partnerships for the maintenance and construction of barracks, and that we are creating a heavy brigade. All in all, a good agreement for the Armed Forces and Denmark, so that we can better defend ourselves and live up to NATO’s obligations
