Following Sweden and Norway's accession to NATO, signs of tension with Russia are escalating in the Nordic region. On Wednesday, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo cautioned that Moscow is preparing for a "long conflict with the West" while Denmark announced plans to increase defence spending.
Speaking at the European Parliament, Orpo emphasized the need for increased spending and coordination on European defence. "Russia is evidently preparing for a long conflict with the West and represents a permanent and essential military threat to Europe," he stated. "If we, as a united Europe, fail to respond sufficiently to this challenge, the coming years will be filled with danger and the looming threat of attack."
Orpo, whose country shares a border with Russia, called on the European Union to boost defence spending and take responsibility for its own security, stressing that it cannot rely solely on the outcome of the U.S. election. His comments come after Republican candidate Donald Trump suggested last month that NATO guarantees could be weakened if he regains the presidency in November.
Russia has continued to criticize the expansion of the Western alliance. In remarks published on Wednesday, President Vladimir Putin described Finland and Sweden's entry into NATO as "a meaningless step" and reiterated that Russia will deploy troops and systems of destruction to the border once Finland joins the alliance. Putin also warned the West that Russia is technically ready for nuclear war and that sending U.S. troops to Ukraine would be considered a significant escalation of the conflict.
Denmark, a founding member of NATO, announced on Wednesday that it will increase its defence budget by $5.9 billion over the next five years to enhance its military capacity. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stated, "The total defence budget, including aid to Ukraine, will amount to 2.4 percent of Danish GDP this year and in 2025." The increased funding will be used to boost Denmark's military capacity, provide aid to Ukraine, and expand conscription, which will be extended from four to 11 months and include women for the first time.
Frederiksen acknowledged that despite ongoing investments in defence, more needs to be done. "If we want to reach NATO's target of being able to deploy a brigade of 6,000 soldiers as quickly as possible and to defend Denmark against air strikes, we have to modernise even more quickly," she said.
