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Denmark Opens Military Bases to US Troops Under New Defense Deal
(Bloomberg) -- The US and Denmark agreed on a defense cooperation deal that will give American forces access to military bases in the Nordic country, marking a historic shift in Danish defense policy.
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The US will be allowed to permanently station soldiers at the military bases of Karup, Skrydstrup and Aalborg, and to store weapons and gear on Danish soil, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said at a news conference in Copenhagen on Tuesday. The deal, which is expected to be signed later this week, will also facilitate closer collaboration in military activities, including training and logistics.
With the agreement, the US completes a network of defense partnerships spanning the Nordic region, having signed similar accords with Finland and Sweden this month. Accords with Norway and Iceland have been in place for years.
Moving away from a long-standing policy against permanent foreign troops on Danish soil marks an “important change in Danish defense and security policy,” Frederiksen said.
“It’s our unequivocal assessment that this is good for Denmark’s and Europe’s security,” Frederiksen said. “With the situation we’re in now with war and an increasingly aggressive Russia, we need as strong and as large an American commitment as possible, and that’s why we have entered into the agreement.”
Formal negotiations between the US and Denmark were initiated in early 2022. Once signed, the deal will need to be approved by the Danish parliament before entering into force, which is expected to take about a year, Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said. The deal will last at least 10 years, during which it cannot be terminated, he said.
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