Denmark and the US have concluded a defence cooperation agreement that will give Washington access to military bases in the Scandinavian country, marking a historic breakthrough in Danish defence policy, Bloomberg reports.
The US will permanently station soldiers at the Karup, Skridstrup and Aalborg military bases and store weapons and equipment on Danish territory, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said at a press conference in Copenhagen on Tuesday. The agreement, which is expected to be signed later this week, will also facilitate closer cooperation in military activities, including training and logistics.
With this agreement, the US completes a network of defence partnerships covering the Nordic region, having signed similar agreements with Finland and Sweden this month. Agreements with Norway and Iceland have been in place for several years. Frederiksen noted:
Moving away from a long-standing policy against permanent foreign troops on Danish soil marks an important change in Danish defence and security policy. It’s our unequivocal assessment that this is good for Denmark’s and Europe’s security.
The US and Denmark began formal negotiations in early 2022. According to Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen, once signed, the deal must be approved by the Danish parliament before taking effect, which is expected to take about a year. The deal will have a term of at least 10 years, during which it cannot be cancelled.
