Denmark now spends at least 2 percent of its GDP on its military, thereby complying with the target for Nato member countries.

Nato itself has confirmed Denmark’s military spending is in line with its target, Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said on Wednesday.

Poulsen is currently in Brussels to take part in a summit of defence ministers from Nato member countries.

“With the dialogues and discussions I’ve had with Nato, Nato now recognises that Denmark is on 2 percent from 2023 onwards,” he said according to broadcaster DR.

“And that is a very good announcement to be able to make: that we have now fulfilled the target we have talked a lot about politically over the last year,” he said.

Nato member states last summer renewed a commitment to reach the 2 percent of GDP military spending target. The alliance’s General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg has said he expects 18 of the 31 countries in Nato to now meet the criteria by this year.

Last year, only 11 countries including the United States, Poland, Greece and Estonia met the target according to Nato.

“We are making real progress,” Stoltenberg said.

Denmark has not previously met the target since it was introduced, but Poulsen said that “additional investments we are making in Danish defence and security” now made this possible.

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“It is also because we are delivering a substantial contribution in relation to military donations to Ukraine,” he said.

The Danish announcement comes after recent controversial comments from former US president Donald Trump, who is favourite to become the candidate for the Republican party for the US general election in November.

At a rally last weekend, Trump told supporters he would said he would “encourage” Russia to attack any of the US’s Nato allies if he considers them to have not met their financial obligations.

“In fact, I would encourage [Russia] to do whatever the hell they want. You got to pay. You got to pay your bills,” he said in relation to whether he as president would protect a Nato member which spent less than its target.

The comments have drawn alarm but Poulsen sought to play down concerns, telling DR it would be better to “have ice in our veins” over a potential second Trump presidency.

“It’s also in the interests of the United States for us to have a strong Nato – and also a strong Europe. If you look at Europe’s economy, the US is also dependent on Europe doing well. I think that’s also crucial for Donald Trump,” he said.