Ukrainian assistance cripples Denmark’s defense abilities
Date
1/13/2025 7:22:06 AM
(MENAFN) Denmark’s defense capabilities have been significantly weakened due to its ongoing military aid to Ukraine, according to a report from Politico. The report suggests that despite Denmark exceeding NATO’s 2% defense spending target, the country’s already limited military resources have been further depleted by donations of heavy equipment, including artillery systems and tanks, to Ukraine. This situation has made it more challenging for Denmark to defend itself, especially in light of rising tensions over Greenland.
US President-elect Donald trump has expressed interest in acquiring Greenland, a territory controlled by Denmark, and recently indicated that he would not rule out military action to secure the island. While the possibility of a US attack on Greenland is considered highly theoretical by Brussels, it has sparked media attention, with some reports suggesting that Trump is serious about the acquisition.
Politico highlighted that while Denmark’s military contributions to Ukraine would not significantly impact a potential conflict with the US due to the vast disparity in defense capabilities, they have still crippled Denmark’s armed forces. The Danish military, with a $9.9 billion defense budget and just 17,000 soldiers, would be no match for the US, which has a defense budget of $948 billion and an army of 1.3 million personnel. Experts, including Ulrik Pram Gad from the Danish Institute for International Studies, described such a conflict as likely to end quickly, given Denmark’s lack of defensive capacity in Greenland.
While Denmark recognizes its inability to defend Greenland independently, there are concerns about relying on NATO or the EU for support. The EU is unable to mobilize significant military force, and the issue of invoking NATO’s mutual defense clause in the case of an attack by another NATO member remains uncertain. Experts, including Agathe Demarais from the European Council on Foreign Relations, have noted that a NATO member annexing another would create unprecedented complications. Denmark’s government is taking the matter seriously but has no intention of escalating tensions with the incoming US administration.
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