Denmark to ‘buy, buy, buy’ military gear, saying Russia is threat to all of Europe
The country’s defence budget would increase to over 3.2 per cent of GDP, as Nato nations face pressure from Trump to increase spending
Denmark would increase its military budget by a combined 50 billion crowns (US$6.99 billion) this year and next to address acute shortcomings, most notably in surface-to-air missile defence systems, the prime minister said on Wednesday.
After decades of drastic cuts in defence spending, Denmark last year allocated an extra 190 billion crowns for its military over a 10-year span, but has now concluded that more is needed and that it must come quickly.
“Does the world look uneasy? Yes. Is there reason to believe it will be over soon? No,” Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told a press conference. “There is one message for the chief of defence: Buy, buy, buy.”
She said procurement would be made without going through the normal lengthy tender procedures.
“If we can’t get the best equipment, buy the next best. There’s only one thing that counts now and that is speed,” Frederiksen said.
Frederiksen on Monday said Russia had become a threat to all of Europe and called on each country to ramp up defence spending to protect themselves while also increasing their support for Ukraine.