Denmark emerges as top supporter of Ukraine and exceeds NATO’s defense spending target

Denmark has transformed from a NATO member with vague ambitions to one of the top contributors to Ukraine’s fight against Russia and a country that now uses the required funds for defense, according to former NATO assistant secretary general, Patrick Turner. Recent years have seen Denmark commit to investing in defense and leading the support for Ukraine.

Ten years ago, Denmark actively opposed the NATO target of spending 2% of GDP on defense, a goal it was criticized for not meeting. Turner noted that when the pledge was adopted at a NATO summit in Wales in 2014, Denmark and Canada were the countries most opposed to it and tried to weaken the agreement as much as possible.

However, this year, Denmark is expected to spend 2.4% of its GDP on defense, and it is among the world leaders in support for Ukraine. According to Turner, these two factors have changed Denmark’s reputation within NATO.

Denmark’s transformation is seen as the most spectacular example of progress in the entire alliance. Although there are countries that spend significantly more than Denmark, the shift from the Danish side is impressive within NATO.

Just over two years ago, a national compromise was reached in Denmark, where a number of party leaders, led by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, pledged that Denmark would meet the NATO target of 2% of GDP on defense by the end of 2033. Now, Denmark is spending 2.4% of its GDP on defense and, according to defense agreements, will not fall below 2% in the coming years.

Turner also warns that despite the increase in funds, Denmark is far from meeting NATO’s strength targets for the country. For instance, Denmark needs to establish a long-range air defense system, which it currently does not have. Furthermore, Denmark needs to have a combat-ready brigade of 6,000 ready to deploy in case of crisis or war within 30 days.

Turner also believes that in the coming years, there will be increased pressure to raise the target to 2.5% of GDP or more, as there have already been discussions about setting the target at 2.5% of GDP.