The Danish parliament has approved a military cooperation agreement with the United States that will allow the US to establish military bases in Denmark, station soldiers, and store military equipment. This was reported by the Danish news agency Ritzau. The agreement was signed in December 2023, before Donald Trump's re-election as US president.
Relations between Denmark and the US have cooled since the signing of the agreement, particularly after Donald Trump repeatedly expressed his interest in taking over Greenland, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. These ambitions were underscored by the visit of his Vice President JD Vance to the US military base in Pituffik in northern Greenland at the end of March, during which Vance reportedly sharply criticized NATO ally Denmark. These developments have led to criticism of the agreement in Denmark, particularly from left-green opposition parties and human rights organizations. According to Ritzau, they warned of the US military's exercise of power on Danish soil and a lack of oversight by Danish authorities.
However, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen defended the agreement, according to agency reports. She emphasized the importance of tying the US closer to Denmark. Frederiksen explained that the problem was not excessive US involvement in Europe, but rather the risk that the US could withdraw troops and end support for Ukraine. This step is viewed as a strategic measure in the context of the current geopolitical situation and the changing American foreign policy.
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