Denmark is prepared to contribute troops if European peacekeeping forces are needed in Ukraine, Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said on March 10.
Following a meeting of Denmark’s parliament, the ministers said that the government had clarified its stance and received broad support from multiple parties.
"It is important that we in Europe send the right signals both to Putin and to Washington. That is what we are doing today by saying: If it comes to the point where a European presence is needed for a ceasefire or peace agreement to be reached, then Denmark is in principle prepared for that," Rasmussen said, according to Danish Broadcasting Corporation.
According to a poll published by the Ritzau news agency on Feb. 21, about 53% of Danes support sending peacekeepers to Ukraine after Russia’s full-scale war comes to an end.
Despite Denmark’s readiness, Poulsen emphasized that no concrete plans have been made at this stage. Any potential deployment would depend on future developments.
Oleg Sukhov
"We have not made a decision to make a concrete effort. It must depend on how things develop. Therefore, this is an expression of timely care," he explained, highlighting that Denmark’s position remains conditional on the evolving situation in Ukraine.
Poulsen does not foresee all of NATO-member countries spearheading a peacekeeping mission but expects several individual states to provide security assurances to Ukraine.
"Now the initiative has been taken by the French and British sides to form an overview of what could potentially be needed," he said, noting ongoing discussions about what such a mission might entail.
The specifics of Denmark’s potential troop contribution remain unclear, as Poulsen indicated it is too soon to determine which soldiers might be deployed. He also stressed that any commitment to Ukraine must not come at the expense of security in the Baltic region.
Chris York
