Denmark set to BOLSTER up army in ‘Nato commitment’ amid … – Express.co.uk

Defence minister Claus Hjort Frederiksen revealed the Danish Government wants to conscript more Danes into the army to increase the forces readiness if a conflict should break out.

Earlier this year the cabinet minister announced funds would be allocated to strengthen Denmarks armed forces following Russian aggression.

Speaking to TV2.DK, Mr Frederiksen suggested one of the proposals is to increase the number of men and women conscripted for military service.

I would like to see little more conscription, he said. Its one of the things we are looking at and I think it is a relevant discussion.

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The defence minister also said there are large holes in Natos defence around the Baltic Sea, as he added Russia was the greatest threat facing Denmark.

Mr Frederiksen said: We need to achieve more in the army. It is a question about capacity and endurance if it should come to a conflict.

The warning about Natos defence around the Baltic Sea cameas Donald Trump on Wednesday backtracked on his previous statements about the military alliance.

Speaking during a joint press conference with Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg, he said: I said it was obsolete. Its no longer obsolete.

We need to achieve more in the army

Claus Hjort Frederiksen

The US contributes around 70 per cent of Natos total defence spending and while President Trump conceded that the alliance was still very important to him, the Republican blasted other members that do not contribute enough.

President Trump added: If other countries pay their fair share instead of relying on the United States to make up the difference, we will all be much more secure, and our partnership will be made that much stronger.

The secretary general and I had a productive discussion about what more Nato can do in the fight against terrorism.

I complained about that a long time ago and they made a change, and now they do fight terrorism.

Meanwhile, speaking to Fox News on Thursday, Mr Stoltenberg said the Republican hadthe supportof Nato in the war against terrorism, just hours before the US military blitzed ISIS with the mother of all bombs in Afghanistan.

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Every member country, no matter how large or small, has an equal say in discussions and decisions. Photo shows: Signing the North Atlantic Treaty which marked the beginning of NATO, 1949.

The Nato chief said: Natos core task is to defend Nato allied countries, the 28 European countries, and the United States and Canada.

We are addressing the root causes of the terrorist threats we see against many Nato allied countries. We are in Afghanistan to fight international terrorism.

The main reason for Nato being there for so many years is to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a safe haven for international terrorists once again. We are in Iraq training Iraqi forces, enabling them to stabilise their own country and to fight terrorism, to fight [ISIS] in Iraq.

"Nato is supporting the US-led coalition fighting [ISIS] in Syria with our surveillance planes helping to improve the air picture.

All Nato allies are a part of the coalition, some of them are active on the ground Syria. So Nato and Nato allies participate and contribute in many different ways to the international fight against terrorism.

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Denmark set to BOLSTER up army in 'Nato commitment' amid ... - Express.co.uk