Denmark says ready to send peacekeepers to Ukraine if needed

Denmark has said it is prepared to send troops to Ukraine as part of a potential European peacekeeping mission.

"It is important that Europe sends the right signals to both Putin and Washington," said Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen after a Foreign Policy Committee meeting, according to state news media outlet DR on Monday.

"By stating our willingness to contribute, we emphasize that if a European presence becomes necessary for a ceasefire or peace agreement, Denmark is, in principle, ready," he added.

However, Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen clarified that no concrete plans are currently in place.

"We have not made a decision on any specific deployment. It depends on how the situation develops. This is a statement of preparedness, not an immediate action," Poulsen said.

The defense chief also noted that it is too early to determine whether such peacekeeping efforts would operate under NATO or a coalition of European nations.

The statement follows remarks by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen last week, in which she reiterated that her government remains "open-minded" about deploying troops to Ukraine as part of a potential peacekeeping force.

"As I have said before, we have an open mind as a Danish government," Frederiksen told TV2 following a high-level meeting in London hosted by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The meeting focused on recent developments in the Russia-Ukraine war and broader European security concerns. However, she acknowledged the challenges of securing Ukrainian territory, emphasizing that "it will be difficult for European soldiers to guard every centimeter."

Frederiksen expressed optimism about Europe's security despite the ongoing conflict.