Denmark is ramping up its military with new long-range precision weapons, signaling a sharp shift in defense strategy amid rising concerns over Russia's threat to Europe. The move marks the country's most significant arms investment to date, even as leaders stress there's no immediate danger at home, Reuters reports. Officials said the move, announced Wednesday by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, is prompted by Russia's actions, especially its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. "There is no doubt that Russia will be a threat to Denmark and Europe for many years to come," she said, per the New York Times.
The NATO member, responding to security gaps highlighted by the invasion, has increased this year's military budget. Last week, Denmark committed to its largest-ever arms purchase, agreeing to spend about $9.2 billion on air defense systems made in Europe. Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said the new weapons package could include missiles and drones designed to strike targets deep inside enemy territory, per Reuters, but he stopped short of providing details on specific systems or the size of the investment. The weapons will be used as a deterrent, not for an offensive war, Frederiksen said. "We are not the ones attacking," she said. "Russia is."
Poulsen emphasized the lessons drawn from the Ukraine war, saying it's vital to have an "integrated layered air defense" that combines advanced aerial and ground-based protection. Russia responded by calling the announcement "pure madness" and hinting that it's Denmark that's the threat, per the Times. "No one, anywhere, ever in the world has considered threatening a nuclear power publicly," said Vladimir Barbin, Russian ambassador to Denmark, in a statement.