Copenhagen - In Denmark , young women will be able to be called up for military service from July - much earlier than originally planned.

"In view of the current situation in defense policy and the security situation, the armed forces must recruit more," explained Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen (48) on Tuesday.

"It is therefore an important signal to bring forward full equality between women and men to July 1, 2025."

Originally, according to the new rules, which also extend the period of compulsory military service from four to eleven months, young women were not to be able to be drafted until 2027.

This is now being brought forward and will apply to women who turn 18 after July 1.

In Denmark, an annual lottery decides who is ultimately conscripted. However, women are only called up for military service if there are not enough volunteers in the year in question.

It was only in February that the Danish government announced that it was increasing the defense budget for this year and next year by the equivalent of 6.8 billion euros. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (47) justified this with an increased threat from an "aggressive Russia".