Denmark reserves the right to terminate its defense agreement with the U.S. should Washington decides to withdraw from NATO.
Military Collaboration Between Denmark and the US: What's the Deal?
Let's talk about the recent defense agreement between Denmark and the United States that's sending waves in the political arena. Here's the lowdown!
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen has confirmed that Denmark has the right to scrap its defense agreement with the US if Washington decides to leave NATO. What a twist, huh?
The new defense agreement, due to be adopted by the Danish parliament this春, can be ditched by Denmark if the US decides to bolt the NATO military alliance. But don't worry – during the first ten years, neither country can pull the plug on the agreement. But if the US leaves NATO, that's a different story!
Opposition MP Sascha Faxe of the Alternative party raised a valid question about the agreement's binding nature, asking if it prevents Denmark from terminating the agreement in its first ten years "even if the United States leaves NATO." Rasmussen couldn't confirm this, but he did note that a treaty can be terminated by "exceptional circumstances," such as a significant change in the treaty's fundamental conditions caused by one of the parties' actions[3].
According to Rasmussen, the continued membership of both countries in NATO is a crucial factor for Denmark's agreement, making a full-blown U.S. exit from NATO a potential justification for terminating the defense agreement[3]. Rest assured, according to the minister, there "are no signs of the US leaving NATO" currently[3].
The defense agreement, which allows the U.S. to station soldiers in Denmark, was first announced back in December 2023 and sparked little controversy initially. However, tensions between Washington and Copenhagen have risen in recent times, leading some opposition politicians to question the deal's merits[1]. Nevertheless, the government has remained steadfast in its support for the agreement and tabled it as a legislative proposal in late March[1].
In short, Denmark has the right to terminate its defense agreement with the US should the latter decide to leave NATO. As of now, it looks like we're sticking together!
Wanna know more about Denmark's military cooperation with the US? Read our comprehensive explainer here.
Join the discussion! Let us know your thoughts on this latest development in our comments section, and don't forget to sign in to leave a comment. Happy chatting!
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- The defense agreement between Denmark and the US, currently in the process of being adopted by the Danish parliament, can be terminated by Denmark if the US decides to leave NATO, but not within the first ten years of the agreement.
- Sascha Faxe, an opposition MP from the Alternative party, questioned whether the agreement prevents Denmark from terminating it in the first ten years if the US leaves NATO, a question Rasmussen could not confirm but noted that a treaty can be terminated under exceptional circumstances.
- Rasmussen stated that the continued membership of both Denmark and the US in NATO is crucial for the agreement, and a full-blown US exit from NATO could potentially justify terminating the defense agreement.
- In December 2023, the defense agreement, which allows the US to station soldiers in Denmark, was first announced and initially sparked little controversy. However, recent tensions between Washington and Copenhagen have caused some opposition politicians to question the deal's merits.
- The agreement may find coverage in the general news, art, politics, and foreign affairs sections, as well as specific updates about Denmark's military cooperation with the US, NATO decisions, and US activities in Greenland.
