Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the former NATO Secretary General and Denmark’s Prime Minister, expresses disappointment with various European leaders, asserting that the geopolitical pressure from Russia is not being adequately addressed. In an interview with Børsen, he criticized many European leaders for their weakness and inability to effectively respond to domestic pressures, stating that the insufficient transfer of power to EU institutions leaves them unable to act decisively.
Rasmussen, who provides pro bono advisory services to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, notes that the rise of right-wing parties in countries such as France, the UK, Germany, and Poland contributes to this internal pressure. He voiced concerns that Russia might consider an attack on NATO countries before 2030, warning that current European leadership is ill-prepared to confront such a threat.
He highlighted his disappointment with Germany’s new Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, without further elaboration on his expectations. Rasmussen also criticized NATO’s timeline for achieving a five percent GDP defense spending goal by 2035.
He expressed concerns over European nations’ responses to hybrid warfare, pointing to incidents involving drones violating European airspace. He specifically criticized Danish authorities following the sighting of drones over military installations, noting Defense Chief Michael Hyldgaard’s justification for not shooting them down as inadequate. Fogh Rasmussen labeled the communication surrounding this issue as “catastrophic,” arguing that it reflects Denmark’s reluctance to take decisive action, which he believes fails to deter threats.
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