COPENHAGEN — Europe must achieve total self-reliance in defense within the next three to five years to deter a “very aggressive” Russia that poses a threat to EU countries, according to Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in an interview with POLITICO.
Frederiksen expressed her strong support for rearming Europe, stating, “I’m totally in favor of rearming Europe and I want us to put a very ambitious goal on the table, saying that in three to five years we need to be totally able to defend ourselves in Europe.” This urgency stems from the ongoing threat posed by Russia, which could potentially launch attacks in the near future unless decisive actions are taken.
She highlighted that the need for rearmament is now the “most important thing” for the bloc, pointing out Russia’s use of sabotage, hybrid attacks, and disinformation tactics aimed at destabilizing European nations. “The willingness in Russia to have a fight against Europe is quite big,” she added. “I’m not sure it will change, unfortunately.”
Frederiksen’s remarks coincided with a phone conversation between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding a potential ceasefire in Ukraine. Although they did not reach an agreement, they expressed intentions to continue discussions.
Frederiksen remains skeptical about Putin’s commitment to ending the conflict. “I’m not very optimistic about Russia because when I look at their behavior, it’s so much against humanity and against Europe and everything we believe in. They have to prove that they want to live a normal neighboring life with us in Europe,” she said.
When asked about Trump’s threats regarding Greenland, an autonomous territory of the Danish Crown, she firmly stated that the country’s sovereignty must be respected. “Greenland is a part of the territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, full stop. I expect that everybody respects sovereignty and our territorial integrity and our borders. It’s not for sale.”
Her comments also followed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s call in Copenhagen for EU nations to collaborate on defense purchases by 2030, envisioning an €800 billion plan to enhance the bloc’s defense industry.
As one of Ukraine’s staunchest supporters, Denmark backs the initiative to acquire more weapons from EU countries, yet Frederiksen emphasized the importance of maintaining cooperation with partners like Norway and the United Kingdom. “The potential in Europe is very big, but some barriers have to be changed and pushed aside because we are not producing enough yet,” she noted. “We are still having this peacetime mindset. I don’t think we have a couple of months to take decisions.”
