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Denmark will join Nato’s missile defense system

At least one Danish warship will be outfitted with a radar system that will contribute to Nato's joint missile defense shield project.

Published: 22 August 2014 10:00 CEST
Denmark will join Nato's missile defense system
An Iver Huitfeldt class frigate. Photo: Łukasz Golowanow/konflikty.pl/Wikimedia Commons
Denmark will join Nato’s missile defence system, the Foreign Affairs Committee (Udenrigspolitisk Nævn) decided on Thursday. 
 
Denmark will contribute at least one frigate to the defence system, according to Foreign Minister Martin Lidegaard.
 
“We will offer that one or more of our frigates can be outfitted with a radar that can be part of the missile defence. There was wide support for that [in the Foreign Affairs Committee, ed],” he told Berlingske Nyhedsbureau. 
 
 
Although it was reported in July that Denmark plans to play a “significant” role in Nato’s response to Russian aggression in Ukraine, Defence Minister Nicolai Wammen said that joining the missile defence system was not a move aimed at Russia.
 
“That Denmark will join the missile defence system with radar capacity on one or more of our frigates is not an action that is targeted against Russia, but rather to protect us against rogues states, terrorist organisations and others that have the capacity to fire missiles at Europe and the US,” Wammen told Jyllands-Posten.
 
 
The participation in Nato’s missile defence system was decided in the same five-hour meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee in which Denmark agreed to transport weapons to northern Iraq. 
 
Denmark will send a Hercules C-130 aircraft carrier carrying humanitarian aid to those who have fled the forward march of the Islamic State, as well as deliver weapons and other military equipment to the Iraqi government and Kurdish forces in the area. Around 55 soldiers will accompany the mission. 

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NATO

Sweden strikes deal with Turkey over Nato membership

Sweden has finally won the backing of Turkey's President Erdogan for its Nato membership, with a deal struck on the eve of the alliance's Vilnius summit opening the way for Turkish ratification "as soon as possible".

Published: 10 July 2023 21:40 CEST
Sweden strikes deal with Turkey over Nato membership

“President Erdogan has agreed to forward the Accession Protocol for Sweden to the Grand National Assembly as soon as possible and work closely with the assembly to ensure ratification,” Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said after the deal was struck. “This is a historic step which makes all Nato allies stronger and safer.” 

At the press conference, Sweden’s prime minister Ulf Kristersson, said it had been “a long day in a long journey towards Swedish membership”. 

“I am extremely happy,” he said. “This is a good day for Sweden”. 

In a separate joint statement, Sweden repeated its commitments to help Turkey in its “fight against terrorism” making an addition pledge to support Turkey’s in its long-stalled efforts to join the EU. 

“Sweden will actively support efforts to reinvigorate Turkiye’s EU accession process, including modernisation of the EU-Turkiye Customs Union and
visa liberalisation,” the statement said.

In return, Turkey said it “will transmit the Accession Protocol for Sweden to the Grand National Assembly, and work closely with the Assembly to ensure ratification.”

Turkey has been holding up Sweden’s application to join the Atlantic alliance, accusing Stockholm of harbouring Kurdish activists Ankara regards as
terrorists.

And on Monday, Erdogan upped the stakes further, demanding that the European Union revive Turkey’s stalled EU membership bid as a precondition for Sweden joining Nato.

Shortly before the deal was announced Erdogan interrupted his talks with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson to hold talks with Charles Michel, the President of the EU Council. 

Michel hailed a “good meeting”, adding that they had “explored opportunities ahead to bring EU-Turkey cooperation back to the forefront and re-energise our relations”.

Turkey has been a formal candidate to join the European Union since 2005, and an aspirant since long before that, but talks have long been stalled with little sign of life.

US President Joe Biden welcomed the agreement. 

“I stand ready to work with President Erdogan and Turkey on enhancing defence and deterrence in the Euro-Atlantic area,” he said in a statement, adding: “I look forward to welcoming Prime Minister Kristersson and Sweden as our 32nd NATO ally.”

“The path for Turkey’s ratification of Sweden’s membership of Nato is finally clear,” German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock wrote on Twitter, hailing the “good news from Vilnius”.

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