March 26th, 2022

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It’s been a while since we heard Danish battle cries this loud. Not since 1864, surely? (photo: Pixabay)

Since the war broke out in Ukraine on 24 February, Danish newspapers have been busy playing the blame game. The country of Russia is responsible for the fully-fledged humanitarian crisis at the EU’s door. Nobody else. It enheartens them to say so. 

 Peace activists all over the world are doing their best to warn that this international crisis has the potential to become a new Cold War or even World War III, so we should of course push for a diplomatic solution. 

But no, Denmark is officially not interested in such a proposition. Their war-mongering media and politicians have seen to it.

Follow your shepherd
For the first time since the creation of the European Union, not only is war at its very door, but it is happening very close to the Nordic bloc, sparking debates regarding preparedness or the lack of it. 

Perhaps the best illustration of how the warmongering and war fever have become so frenzied is the viral photo of the Danish prime minister signing an agreement  to increase defence spending by 18 billion kroner every year. 

She was pictured in view of the leaders of the other major political parties – Venstre, Konservative, Radikale and SF – all standing in a queue like sheep following a shepherd, rather than the independent thinkers their electorate would hope they are.

Had enough of ‘Imagine’!
On top of that, two heavy-hitters – Søren Pind, a four-time Venstre minister under Lars Løkke Ramussen, and Henrik Sass Larsen from Socialdemokratiet, who served under Helle Thorning-Schmidt as the business minister – have along with Weekendavisen journalist Anna Libak formed an organisation called the Danish Ukraine Committee, which has publicly declared its main purpose of existence is to collect funds to send weapons to Ukraine.

Who would have even imagined that a former higher education minister (Pind) would publicly denounce John Lennon’s song ‘Imagine’ by saying that we have been singing it way too long?

Left the station quickly
Even before the war broke out, the government announced that Denmark would permit the troops of the United States to be stationed here without even wanting to discuss or debate the issue in Parliament. 

It was considered enough to arrange a press conference and declare the decision, even though this was breaking the tradition of acting as an independent country in which such decisions are discussed and debated before an agreement is concluded.

Forget the other plans
History has shown us time and time again that war-mongering always results in major budget diversions. Conflicts require huge amounts of money, so it’s goodbye to the plans to expand welfare.

Even the most left-leaning party, Enhedslisten, which has always opposed wars, and never agreed to the idea of joining NATO, has approved the bill by Parliament to supply weapons to the government of Ukraine.

The imperative question is how can a peaceful Nordic country – which promotes peace, human rights and universal welfare for all its citizens – end up becoming such a fervent warmonger.

Mrutyuanjai Mishra

As a regular contributor to the Times of India, the country’s largest newspaper, Mishra is often sought-after by Danish media and academia to provide expertise on Asian-related matters, human rights issues and democratisation. He has spent half his life in India and the other half in Denmark and Sweden.