Relationship dossier
Denmark
Russia
Relationship assessment
Denmark–Russia ties are substantially adversarial, shaped by the war in Ukraine, sanctions, security concerns and reciprocal diplomatic expulsions.
Denmark toward Russia
-55Denmark has supported EU sanctions against Russia and assistance to Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion. In April 2022, Denmark expelled 15 Russian diplomatic staff it identified as intelligence officers.
Russia toward Denmark
-45Russia has pursued a confrontational response to Denmark’s support for sanctions and Ukraine, including expelling Danish diplomats in 2022 after Denmark removed Russian diplomatic staff.
Overall relationship
-50The relationship is characterized by a sustained security confrontation following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with Denmark backing sanctions and Ukrainian assistance and Russia responding with diplomatic expulsions. These issues outweigh the limited scope of bilateral engagement reflected in the known developments.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Denmark and Russia have a substantially adversarial relationship, especially since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Denmark has supported sanctions against Russia and assistance to Ukraine, and in 2022 expelled Russian diplomatic staff it identified as intelligence officers. Russia responded by expelling Danish diplomats. Security tensions and reduced diplomatic engagement have reinforced the confrontation.
Areas of tension
- Russia’s war against Ukraine and Denmark’s support for Ukraine
- Danish participation in sanctions against Russia
- Reciprocal expulsions of diplomatic staff
- Security concerns in the Baltic and wider northern European region
Key developments
Denmark expelled 15 Russian diplomatic staff it identified as intelligence officers.
Russia expelled Danish diplomats in response to Denmark’s removal of Russian diplomatic staff.
Major uncertainties
- The long-term scope of diplomatic restrictions and their effects on bilateral communication remain unclear.
- The extent of any remaining practical cooperation between the governments is uncertain.