Mette Frederiksen stated that ‘it would be extremely difficult for Europe to defend itself’ at the moment, as there is still dependence on the United States
The Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, assessed this Wednesday (28) that European countries can “do more” for your defensealthough Europe currently has “difficulty” defending itself without the United States.
Copenhagen is at the center of tensions between the US and Europe due to Donald Trump’s intention to acquire Greenland, a Danish Arctic territory, citing national security reasons.
“It would be extremely difficult for Europe to defend itself today because in terms of intelligence, nuclear weapons, etc., we depend on the United States,” Frederiksen said at Sciences Po university in Paris.
“But I believe that we are capable of doing more than what is publicly said at the moment”, added the Danish Prime Minister.
The statements came hours before a meeting at the Élysée Palace in Paris between the French president, Emmanuel Macron, Frederiksen and Greenland Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen.
Macron reiterated France’s “solidarity” and its attachment to Denmark’s “territorial integrity”, warning that the situation in Greenland is “a strategic wake-up call for all of Europe”.
The French president, who wore sunglasses due to an eye problem, cited as elements of this “awakening” European sovereignty, Arctic security, combating foreign interference, disinformation and climate change, among others.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Monday that it was illusory to think that Europeans could defend themselves alone, without the support of the United States, the world’s leading military power.
At the Hague summit in 2025, and underos NATO allies have committed to raising their defense and security spending to 5% of GDP after decades of little investment from most European countries, which trusted in the protection of the United States.
“We made a huge mistake by reducing our defense spending” in the past, Frederiksen insisted at Sciences Po, at a time when the United States is questioning the transatlantic link as it has existed until now.
“The most important thing to do is to rearm”, and “not for 2035, as NATO decided (…) I regret to say that that would be too late”, highlighted the Danish Prime Minister.
*With AFP
