France will deliver several hundred Mistral surface-to-air missiles to Denmark, the Elysée Palace said Tuesday, April 1, as King Frederik X and President Emmanuel Macron pledged a shared commitment to a "stronger" Europe.
Denmark has in recent months been seeking European backing to counter US President Donald Trump's threats to take over Greenland. Trump has signaled that he wants the strategically located, resource-rich Danish territory to become part of the United States. A framework agreement signed during King Frederik X's first state visit to France foresees "the supply of 250 to 1,000 Mistral 3 missiles," the Elysée said, without further details.
"Today we mark... a shared commitment to create a stronger and more resilient Europe for the future," King Frederik X said in English, speaking at a French-Danish economic forum. Macron said Denmark could count on France. "When the winds are blowing hard in Denmark, France is there," he said. "When times are tough, we stand side by side."
Denmark, generally perceived as an ally of Washington, has been seeking to ramp up ties with France and boost European security. "Close cooperation with France is absolutely necessary in times of war in Europe and in a constantly changing security situation," the Danish defense minister, Troels Lund Poulsen, said in Paris. "Strengthening the European defense industry is crucial for the success of the ongoing rearmament," he added.
The Mistral 3 is a short-range surface-to-air defense missile used against all types of targets, including fighter jets, transport planes, helicopters, drones and cruise missiles. In 2024, eight European countries, including France and Denmark, signed an agreement for the joint acquisition of the missile.
Denmark, one of Ukraine's main supporters, has said it is in particular need of anti-aircraft defense systems. The country had earlier acquired 19 French-made Caesar cannons, which it handed over to Ukraine.
Denmark has also purchased 130 Finnish Patria armored personnel carriers, said a statement from the country's defense ministry.