The hardening of geopolitics in Europe, and above all, the Ukraine war, has documented a twist in the way the hard side of foreign policy combines with the soft version of diplomacy and international relations. Denmark has experienced that dealing with Donald Trump isn’t just politics — it’s an art form – and introduces Hygge diplomacy.
Denmark is one of the countries that in the decades bridging the 20th and the 21st centuries has been able to navigate between the two extremes most effectively, and without doubt most credibly. This is so, in part, because they devised – not in words but in deeds – a culture of egalitarianism, of social rights, of solidarity between free individuals and turned it into a new identity and a new way of navigating themselves throughout the world.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has for weeks conducted a high-level diplomatic tour across Europe to rally support against renewed interest from US President Donald Trump in acquiring Greenland—a Danish territory rich in minerals and strategically located in the Arctic.
As she’s toured Europe’s capitals to meet Nordic, German, French and UK leaders, her Trump playbook has become increasingly clear: Get support from your neighbors, project unity, and float modest concessions, but above all, avoid escalating the conflict by not publicly engaging with Trump’s threats.
The Danish reinvention of enlightened values is not just a statement of intent; it has a practical anchor, and if there is anyone who believes in the founding principles of the EU – beginning by keeping their own backyard in a decent state, which is the origin of all unimposed cosmopolitanism – it is the Danes.
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Despite a bruising phone call with Trump — followed by near daily remarks from the president and his circle — Frederiksen has tried to remain measured and composed, maintaining that the US is Denmark’s closest ally.
For decades, Denmark has been at the forefront of initiatives that mean to strengthen horizontal ties between countries, championed throughout the world by the international institutions that emerged after the Second World War with the aim of fighting poverty and hunger, helping the displaced, or combating climate change.
“Denmark is a small country with strong alliances. Together with our European partners, we have faced great trials before, and European cooperation has proven its worth in handling crises,” Frederiksen has been quoted by the media when she emphasized the need for unity amid shifting geopolitical realities, including the war in Europe and rising competition in the Arctic.
It’s a strategy distinct enough that Finland’s president, Alexander Stubb, has given it a name: “hygge diplomacy.” The term “hygge” (think candles, fuzzy sweaters, and warm conversations over tea) has become Denmark’s most famous cultural export in recent years. It embodies the feeling of coziness and togetherness and emphasizes the Danish culture of slowing down and fostering meaningful connections.
Big words and soft speeches are increasingly difficult to hold together on the basis of a reality that requires ever tougher policies, so it makes sense for countries like Denmark to break new ground.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has managed to keep tensions from boiling over. But Danish diplomacy will face more tests ahead, from Trump as well as from an emboldened independence movement in Greenland.
Denmark Introduces Hygge Diplomacy, written by Tor Kjolberg