Denmark will hold a referendum on joining the European Union’s defense pact as Russia’s war against Ukraine looks to push the Nordic nation, which has often been skeptical about its EU membership, closer to the bloc.
The country, a founding member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, will also boost military spending to meet the alliance’s target of 2% of gross domestic product, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Sunday in Copenhagen as she presented a new defense deal with opposition leaders.
The Danish agreement adds to changes in long-standing security arrangements in the Nordic region since Russia’s attack, with Sweden and Finland reassessing their military non-alignment after public support for NATO entry has surged in both countries. Other European nations are also overhauling their defenses.
