Denmark launched its presidency of the European Union on Thursday, emphasizing the need for Europe to unite to address war in Ukraine and trade tensions caused by US President Donald Trump’s global tariff hike. Danish European Affairs Minister Marie Bjerre stated that “Europe can no longer be in the shadow of the United States,” calling for countries to take responsibility for their own security.
As Denmark takes the helm, Russia’s ongoing war on Ukraine poses an existential challenge to Europe, and economic turmoil lies ahead. Trump’s 90-day tariff pause ends on July 9, with no EU-US trade deal in place yet. NATO has warned that Russia could be ready to attack another European country within 3-5 years.
Denmark aims to help the EU take responsibility for its own security by 2030 and set Europe on track to properly defend itself. This includes laying groundwork for countries to buy military equipment needed to execute NATO’s defense plans, as well as helping Ukraine and Moldova join the EU soon.
The country is also focusing on accelerating new trade agreements with other countries like India while revamping existing trade pacts. Denmark aims to cut bureaucratic red tape to speed up innovation and tackle climate change, which remains a top priority for the bloc, aiming to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
With defense spending increases weighing heavily on national purses, Denmark will work to get the debate on European priorities off on the right track. The EU’s next long-term budget is set to be unveiled in July, and Denmark aims to finalize negotiations on a rule simplification package for farmers.
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/denmark-launches-eu-presidency-facing-war-ukraine-trump-123440546