Denmark will increase its defence spending by 40.5 billion Danish crowns, equivalent to around USD 5.9 billion, over the next five years, besides expanding its conscription and drafting women into the military to meet the country’s new security challenges, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced Wednesday.
The new measures are expected to increase the number of months young people serve in the military to 11 months, from the current period of four months.
The decision to increase spending on defence and expand the military is being driven by concerns over security in Europe following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The country’s defence expenditure will reach 2.4 percent of gross domestic product this year and in 2025, it is expected to surpass NATO’s member states’ target of 2.4 percent.
Frederiksen said that the expansion of the military is a necessary response to the threats facing Europe. “We are not rearming because we want war, destruction, or suffering. We are rearming right now to avoid war and in a world where the international order is being challenged,” he said.