Defence a key priority of Denmark's presidency of the European Union

Published on 04/07/2025 - 13:53 GMT+2

Security and defence were precocious connected nan schedule erstwhile Denmark took complete nan six-month Presidency of nan European Union and connected Thursday, nan 27 members of nan College of Commissioners travelled to Aarhus, to people nan commencement of nan caller tenure.

With defence a priority, nan Scandinavian state intends to importantly push up pinch rearmament efforts.

"If we are not prepared to take sides our continent, who are we arsenic Europeans?" Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen asked.

"We request to rearm Europe by 2030 by nan latest, and I look guardant to nan roadmap connected really to execute this goal, truthful that we tin create communal capabilities, fortify our defence industry, make associated procurements and region each barriers and obstacles successful our way," she added.

For nan Danish leader, nan EU's information mostly depends connected Ukraine. "Right now, it is nan service successful Ukraine that is protecting Europe," Frederiksen said connected Thursday astatine a property convention attended by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

She emphasised that Kyiv is portion of nan European family and truthful called connected personnel states to alteration their mindset erstwhile it comes to subject aid.

"When we present arms to Ukraine, alternatively of seeing it arsenic a donation, we request to deliberation of it arsenic portion of our rearmament," Frederiksen insisted.

Linking information and migration

Denmark believes that migration argumentation is besides a mobility of security. According to nan Danish Prime Minister, nan European strategy is failing, and she is calling for nan restoration of separator controls.

"On these issues, we now person actual proposals connected nan table, proposals that could besides pave nan measurement for return centres and asylum procedures extracurricular nan EU," she said.

Speaking connected nan Pact connected Migration and Asylum, President of nan Commission Ursula von der Leyen listed which areas Denmark needs to make advancement on.

"Under your presidency, we will beryllium capable to make advancement connected our connection for a return, connected nan conception of safe 3rd countries and safe countries of origin," von der Leyen said.

Responding to waste and acquisition turbulence

The Danish Presidency and nan European Commission besides agreed competitiveness should beryllium different privilege for Copenhagen. Here again, Ursula von der Leyen listed nan issues connected which she hoped developments would beryllium made.

"We must truthful springiness a awesome boost to nan European Savings and Investment Union, which will beryllium 1 of our associated priorities," von der Leyen said.

She emphasised that nan costs of power is simply a cardinal situation facing nan European Union successful nan look of its world competitors. Von der Leyen said she intends to coming "plans to amended nan European grid, retention capacity and interconnections."

Beyond this six-month roadmap, nan situation for Denmark will beryllium to support nan unity of nan 27 personnel states, and guarantee that nan EU speaks pinch a unified sound to meet nan geopolitical, waste and acquisition and ambiance challenges.