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• The American missile destroyer USS Milius patrolling the South China Sea (Archive). (Photo: © Greg JOHNSON, Scanpix Denmark)

Europe Left to Defend Itself

This means that at some point, Europe can expect to be left more alone with Russia than it is now, as the U.S. still has a significant military presence on the continent.

Many believe that the slow pace of European military buildup is worrying for this exact reason.

Putin just has to wait patiently for the powerful U.S. to leave the scene. This will pull the rug out from under deterrence efforts, and once again, there will be room for balalaika.

That’s the analysis.

A Russian challenge, which in itself is a handful for Europe, but the abyss is even deeper than that.

Approximately 1,100 Danish soldiers are deployed. Here's where Danish soldiers are now:

• Kosovo: Danish soldiers have supported the international peace effort in Kosovo since 1999 in the NATO-led KFOR operation. Currently, the Home Guard is handling the mission.
• Latvia: Since August 2024, Danish soldiers have been in Latvia, contributing to securing NATO's eastern flank, with around 800 Danish troops involved in NATO's defense of the Baltic countries.
• Baltic Sea: Denmark continuously contributes to NATO naval forces, which have increased their readiness and vigilance in the Baltic Sea and North Atlantic due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Danish Challenger aircraft also patrol the area.
• United Kingdom: After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Denmark expanded its support to Ukraine, including training Ukrainian soldiers and pilots in the UK.
• Mediterranean: Denmark contributes to the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), monitoring Europe's external borders in Italy, Spain, and Greece.
• Middle East: Since 1948, Danish soldiers have helped maintain the ceasefire between Israel and several of its neighbors. As the situation in the region has evolved, so have the tasks of Danish soldiers.
• Iraq: Denmark contributes to NATO's advisory mission in Iraq and the international coalition that has supported Iraq in the fight against ISIL since 2014.
• Other parts of the world: There are also a few Danish personnel deployed elsewhere, including in Africa, the U.S., and Korea.

'Quid Pro Quo'

The U.S. expects Denmark and other European countries to help with the Chinese challenge in the Pacific as well.

The idea is that the signal of a united Western world standing shoulder to shoulder and saying "this far and no further" is stronger than just another wagging finger from the U.S., which Russia, Iran, and North Korea already find quite lame.

The U.S. and NATO are, of course, Denmark's primary security guarantees. Two strong allies in a cold and turbulent schoolyard.

So Denmark naturally sends a staff officer to Honolulu if the U.S. wants it. Quid pro quo.

In the video below, Commander and Head of the Planning Department of the Defense Operations Staff Kristian Haumann explains the role of the staff officer in Hawaii.

[Video]

Denmark Still in the Parking Lot

In the long run, it's expected that the desk-bound soldier will be replaced by more combat-ready contributions, such as a frigate, aircraft, or even special operations forces.

This leaves Denmark in an incredibly difficult position. After decades of budget cuts, the rebuilding of the military is just beginning. But the nearly 200 billion extra kroner earmarked through 2032 is almost entirely spent.

And Denmark hasn’t made significant progress on what NATO expects it to be able to do in the Baltics, the Arctic, and the North Atlantic.

If it were a DIY project, Denmark wouldn’t have gotten further than the parking lot of the hardware store by now.

On top of that, Denmark is expected to contribute to deterrence in the Indo-Pacific in the future.

This is a theater where significant demands are placed on military equipment.

Many Danes are impressed by China's electric cars and gadgets. However, China is unlikely to be impressed by a Danish frigate that can’t shoot.

The same goes for the U.S., which expects its allies to be able to participate in so-called 'multi-domain operations.'

• Read also: Politicians open to military contributions to the U.S.: China is a bully.

In short, this means that everything capable of shooting, crawling, and operating in cyberspace, space, land, sea, and air must be able to communicate and work together.

Obviously, this is incredibly expensive. It’s also clear that Denmark is not yet able to play that game.

Danish Staff Officer to Hawaii

• The U.S. Pacific Fleet has its headquarters in Honolulu, Hawaii.
• The Danish staff officer is appointed for three years, with the option for an additional year.
• INDOPACOM, the Pacific Fleet, employs 375,000 personnel from all branches of the U.S. military.
• The Pacific Fleet’s area of responsibility is vast—it covers about half of the Earth's surface, stretching from the U.S. West Coast all the way to the Indian Ocean.
• The Danish staff officer will network and report back to Denmark but will be under U.S. leadership.
• Source: Danish Defense.