Denmark will contribute to Baltic region’s defence by deploying a battalion of troops to Latvia in the mid-2024

Denmark is gearing up to deploy a battalion of Danish Royal Army troops to Latvia from mid-2024 as part of its commitment to continued strengthening of NATO eastern flank defence.

‘Denmark’s continued and permanent commitment to further strengthening of NATO’s eastern flank defence is highly appreciated by Latvia. The decision to station a battalion of Danish troops in Latvia from the middle of 2024 is particularly important for defence and security of the Baltics. It will also contribute to stronger overall deterrence and defence posture of the Alliance,’ Defence Minister Ināra Mūrniece.

Denmark is planning to send between 700 and 1,200 troop-strong battalion to Latvia. Danish force will spend between 4 to 6 months training in Latvia and the rest of the year back in Denmark, in the state of high readiness. The size and composition of the battalion, as well as the length of the rotation, will be determined on the basis of specific needs that NATO and allied forces will have. Another factor will be current regional security.

Latvian National Armed Forces will provide Danish troops deployed to Camp Ādaži, where Danish Royal Army contingent was stationed previously in response to Russian invasion of Ukraine, and with the view of strengthening the defence of NATO’s eastern flank, all relevant host nation support. 

As reported earlier, in response to Russian invasion of Ukraine, in 2022 parliament of Denmark decided to support the government decision to send 1,000 Danish troops to Latvia. These soldiers arrived in Latvia on 26 April 2022. On 27 April 2023, Camp Ādaži bid farewell to Danish force at the end of their rotation to Latvia with Land Forces Mechanised Infantry Brigade.

Danish troops were previously deployed to Camp Ādaži under the command of NATO Headquarters Multinational Division North.

Headquarters Multinational Division North at Camp Ādaži was inaugurated in March 2019 to enhance the defence of Baltic States and strengthen NATO’s collective deterrence and defence posture through joint command and control element located in the Baltic region. Headquarters Multinational Division North is responsible for defence planning, organising and implementation of military exercise and training activities aimed at boosting interoperability and compatibility of participating countries in the context of diverse defence  tasks. Main framework countries of the Headquarters Multinational Division North are Latvia, Estonia and Denmark, whose officers lead its operations.

Latvian-Danish bilateral defence cooperation is regulated by the Agreement on Promotion of Defence Cooperation signed by Latvia’s Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Defence of the Kingdom of Denmark on 3 January 1994.

For more than a century, Latvia and Denmark have built diplomatic ties based on shared concern for stability, security and prosperity of the Baltic Sea region, Europe and the world. Latvia and Denmark are bound by active political dialogue at the bilateral, regional, EU, NATO and international level.

Denmark has played an important role in the development of National Armed Forces of Latvia by being the leading Nordic country in terms of political and practical support for Latvia.

Contact information:
Roberts Skraučs
Head of the Media Relations Section
Military Public Affairs Department
Tel.: 67335393
E-mail: roberts.skraucs@mod.gov.lv