On Aug. 13, the Russian Baltic Fleet announced it would soon hold discussions with Denmark on conducting joint naval exercises. While much attention has been paid to Moscow's efforts in recent years to reconsolidate influence in its near abroad (including Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus and the Baltic states) Denmark's geopolitical value to Russia is nearly as important as that of states on the Russian periphery. Denmark's position on the Jutland Peninsula allows it (along with nominally neutral Sweden) to control the Skagerrak and Kattegat straits, and thus all traffic into and out of the Baltic Sea. This control is important for Russia both economically and militarily. The Danish straits are crucial to Russia's ability to project naval power from its main port, St. Petersburg, as they are the only outlet connecting the Baltic Sea to the global maritime system. Future energy alternatives, such as liquefied natural gas, shipped to Poland and from there piped to the Baltic States, would also have to pass through the Danish straits, which could have a significant impact on Russian energy leverage in Eastern Europe.
