Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who was previously NATO’s Secretary General and before that was Denmark’s Prime Minister, is disappointed with several European leaders and believes that the security political situation with pressure from Russia is not being taken seriously enough.
He says this in an interview with Børsen.
– Many of the European leaders are extremely weak and under severe pressure at home, and we have not transferred the power to the EU institutions that would allow them to step in. Politically, we find ourselves in a very sad place, he says.
Fogh Rasmussen serves pro bono as an advisor to Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, through his company. Pro bono means that the work is done voluntarily and without payment.
The pressure from within comes from right-wing parties that are gaining significant ground in countries like France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Poland, he believes.
He tells Børsen that he fears Russia may consider attacking one or more NATO countries before 2030 – and that Europe’s leaders are not equipped to handle it.
He highlights Germany’s new Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, among others, whom he is disappointed with and “expected a lot from.” He does not elaborate further on what he is disappointed about or what he expected.
The former Secretary General is also disappointed that NATO is only aiming to reach its goal of spending five percent of GDP on defense and security by 2035.
Among the criticisms are European countries’ reactions to the so-called hybrid war, where drones and aircraft have violated European airspace. Here, Fogh Rasmussen also sharply criticizes the Danish authorities.
In September, drones were observed over several airports and military bases in Denmark.
Defense Chief Michael Hyldgaard subsequently defended at a press conference with Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen (V) that the authorities had not shot down the drones.
– We can’t just run around shooting into the air. It comes down again. It doesn’t help to shoot down a drone, with the amount we see here, said the defense chief.
But Fogh Rasmussen does not think much of that explanation. He calls the communication “catastrophic” and says it shows that Denmark fears shooting down the drones. And that does not deter, he believes.
