The debate over the possibility of sending Danish conscripts to conflict zones such as Ukraine and the Baltic states has raised serious doubts and concerns among young people and their families. These concerns came during a program broadcast by TV2, where one parent questioned whether politicians could guarantee that the deployment of conscripts to war zones would be entirely voluntary.
Despite Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen's attempt to allay fears by saying she finds it "very difficult to imagine sending conscripts to Ukraine," she indicated that "sending them to the Baltic states is different and may be more likely." However, Frederiksen did not directly answer the question of imposing mandatory conscription for wars.
According to what was published on the TV2 website, the exact answer lies in the political agreement concluded last year, which clearly states that the Minister of Defense alone can make a decision to impose compulsory conscription in the event of a deterioration in the security situation.
Statements by politicians
Carsten Bach, spokesperson for the Liberal Alliance (LA):
“Yes, it is possible to implement compulsory deployment, but that would be a very radical step. We are now in a completely different situation than we were in 2024. With the possibility of a peace plan for Ukraine, we may quickly need to make a significant contribution to a security force. For this, that could include sending conscripts to the Baltics, but not to Ukraine.”
Rasmus Jarlov, spokesman for the conservative People's Party:
We don't want to send conscripts to conflict zones, but we can't predict how things might change. If Russia attacks the Baltic states, we'll have to send all our forces. That would put us at war. He added, "Being a soldier is no small thing; it's a duty that may require us to participate in combat."”
Alex Ahrendtsen of the Danish People's Party:
“Forced dispatch will only be implemented in an exceptional case, such as a Russian invasion of the Baltic states or a direct threat to Denmark. For us, this is a hypothetical scenario that we hope will not happen.”
Anne Valentina Bertelsen, spokesperson for the Socialist People's Party (SF):
“Currently, those wishing to perform military service can go to the Baltic states voluntarily, where there are no risks at the same level as in the war zones to which we send professional soldiers.”
Lise Beck of the Danish Democrats:
“It is difficult to imagine imposing compulsory deployment at this stage, but if the situation deteriorates, it may be necessary. Those who are deployed must have completed their basic training, and will not be just people who have just entered the service.”
The Danish Defense Minister has not taken a clear stance.
According to the TV2 website, TV2 attempted to obtain a comment from Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen, but he declined a live interview, issuing only a written statement saying that the government "attaches great importance to the policy of voluntary deployment." However, the minister did not directly address the possibility of mandatory deployment or the circumstances under which such a decision might be made.
It is worth noting that the NATO defense alliance agreement, of which Denmark is a part, states that member states must defend each other in the event that one of the alliance's countries is attacked.
