Denmark Uses Perceived 'Russian Threat' To Justify Increase In Defense Spending - Moscow

Denmark uses speculations about an alleged Russian threat to justify its increased spending on defense, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd November, 2018) Denmark uses speculations about an alleged Russian threat to justify its increased spending on defense, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday.

Last week, the Danish government launched a new foreign and security policy strategy for 2019-2020. Commenting on the strategy, Danish Defense Minister Claus Hjort Frederiksen said that it "is based not least on the aggressive behavior of Russia, massive cyberattacks, instability in the middle East and North Africa and the sustained terrorist threat against Europe and Denmark."

"We have noted the foreign and security policy strategy adopted by the Danish government on November 15. In the document ... considerable attention is given to 'Russia's aggressive actions' ... Copenhagen needs more speculation about the so-called Russian threat to justify the increase in defense spending announced in the strategy and a build-up of NATO's military presence in the Baltic Sea region.

This warlike scenario is unlikely to establish regional security," Zakharova said at a press briefing.

Zakharova highlighted that it was not growing international challenges like international terrorism, drug trafficking, and climate change that concerned Danish strategists, but rather the "Russian threat."

In January, Danish lawmakers agreed to allocate an additional 12.8 billion crowns (about $2 billion) to defense spending over the next six years, citing Russia as one of the key threats to its security. Copenhagen has also voiced plans to establish a new 4,000-member army brigade in the Baltic Sea region.