Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced plans Wednesday for a significant expansion of Denmark’s military, citing growing threats from Russia. She described the move as a necessary step to protect the country and prevent future conflict.

“We must upgrade massively to protect Denmark. And we must rearm massively to avoid war,” Frederiksen told parliament on Tuesday.

Denmark will spend 50 billion DKK ($7 billion) to rearm its military.

Initially, Danish government wanted to allocate more money to the fund, but European arms manufacturers are having a hard time keeping up with demand.

Source: Danish Broadcasting Corporation pic.twitter.com/RTClvaZ8w4

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Although she did not specify exact figures, Danish public broadcaster DR reported that the government intends to establish a 50-billion-kroner ($7 billion) defense fund for 2025-2026. Initial plans considered doubling that amount, but a shortage of available defense equipment led officials to scale back the proposal.

Denmark PM says will announce ‘massive’ rearmament plans https://t.co/nVRJ74ijfg

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The Danish military currently lacks air defense systems, and acquiring them is a priority, according to DR. Frederiksen emphasized the urgency of the buildup, saying Denmark is facing “the most dangerous situation in our lifetime.”

“This is worse than during the Cold War,” she said, warning that Russia poses a threat to all of Europe.

Following discussions in Paris on shifting U.S. policies regarding the Ukraine war, Frederiksen cautioned against any rushed ceasefire agreements, arguing that such deals could allow Russia to regroup and launch further attacks.

“The war in Ukraine has been about Russia’s imperial dreams, about building a stronger and a bigger Russia, and I don’t think they’re going to stop in Ukraine,” she told reporters.

If the proposed defense fund is approved at 50 billion kroner, it would raise Denmark’s military spending to 3% of its GDP, surpassing NATO’s current target of 2%. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has pushed NATO allies to increase their defense spending to 5% of GDP. The U.S. currently spends about 3.4%.

Denmark has been a strong supporter of Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in 2022. According to the Danish foreign ministry, the country has provided approximately $7.52 billion in military assistance and an additional $741 million in civilian aid.