Danes to vote on joining EU’s defense pact
Richard Milne in Oslo
Denmark is to hold a referendum on joining the EU’s defense pact, increase military spending and wean itself off Russian gas, according to the terms of a cross-party agreement unveiled on Sunday evening.
Mette Frederiksen, Denmark’s center left prime minister, was flanked by left- and rightwing party leaders as she announced Copenhagen would seek to scrap one of its hard-won opt-outs from the EU’s Maastricht treaty, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Denmark, which is a founding member of NATO, will also aim to raise its defense spending to the alliance’s target of 2 per cent of gross domestic product by 2033 from its current 1.4 per cent.
Frederiksen said that Denmark would eliminate its dependence on Russian gas as energy policy is increasingly linked to security.
“In our view, Denmark belongs at the heart of the west’s security policy co-operation,” said Frederiksen, as she announced a referendum would be held on June 1.
The move comes as Finland and Sweden, the two Nordic countries not in NATO, debate whether to join the military alliance after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine highlights the disadvantages of not being members.
Denmark is to hold a referendum on joining the EU’s defense pact, increase military spending and wean itself off Russian gas, according to the terms of a cross-party agreement unveiled on Sunday evening.
Mette Frederiksen, Denmark’s center left prime minister, was flanked by left- and rightwing party leaders as she announced Copenhagen would seek to scrap one of its hard-won opt-outs from the EU’s Maastricht treaty, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Denmark, which is a founding member of NATO, will also aim to raise its defense spending to the alliance’s target of 2 per cent of gross domestic product by 2033 from its current 1.4 per cent.
Frederiksen said that Denmark would eliminate its dependence on Russian gas as energy policy is increasingly linked to security.
“In our view, Denmark belongs at the heart of the west’s security policy co-operation,” said Frederiksen, as she announced a referendum would be held on June 1.
The move comes as Finland and Sweden, the two Nordic countries not in NATO, debate whether to join the military alliance after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine highlights the disadvantages of not being members.
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