“We need to help Ukrainians protect themselves from Russian missiles and drones by building an air shield that will allow them to shoot down enemy missiles. NATO countries neighboring Ukraine could be a place for such a system.” – Rasmussen said in an interview with The Guardian.
In his opinion, if Poland or other countries agreed to deploy these systems, Russia would understand that “an attack on them would mean an attack on the entire NATO.”
The former Secretary General of NATO also calls for the creation of European protection forces for Ukrainewhich could act even before the conclusion of a possible truce. “The coalition of the willing has turned into a coalition of the waiting,” Rasmussen commented bitterly. “Unless we make major changes in strategy, we will face an endless war. Putin has no incentive to come to the negotiating table as long as he believes he can win on the battlefield.”
Read also: An unusual German brigade on the edge of NATO brings with it its state-of-the-art heavy armored vehicle
Missiles and pressure on Putin
Rasmussen, who maintains close relations with the authorities in Kiev, is holding a series of talks in European capitals, including: in London with National Security Advisor Jonathan Powell. Discussed are, among others: That's possible US security guarantees for Ukrainesimilar to those Washington granted to Qatar after the Israeli attacks on Doha.
According to Rasmussen, such “iron security guarantees” could make it easier for Volodymyr Zelensky to conclude a compromise peace, even if it involved the loss of some territory. At the same time, the former NATO secretary calls for supplying long-range missiles to Ukrainethat could hit targets in Russia. “If Germany is the first to hand over Taurus missiles to Ukraine, it will send a clear signal across the Atlantic and put pressure on the White House,” Rasmussen said in an interview with The Guardian.
Read also: The US is withdrawing troops from Europe. There is a NATO reaction
Frozen assets of Russia – 150 billion euros
The former Prime Minister of Denmark also appealed for Europe to take advantage frozen Russian assets worth EUR 150 billion as security for a loan for the purchase of weapons and the reconstruction of Ukraine. “We need to unfreeze these funds and use them to support Ukraine,” he stressed. Although Belgium, where Euroclear is based, still has reservations, Rasmussen predicts European leaders will overcome them.
