Ukraine Faces a “Forever War” Unless Europe Steps Up Against Russia, Warns Former NATO Chief

Former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has warned that Ukraine risks facing a “forever war” and a gradual loss of territory unless Europe takes decisive action to increase pressure on Russia. Rasmussen called for deploying European troops and establishing a missile and drone defense shield on NATO territory to protect Ukraine’s infrastructure from ongoing Russian attacks.

Speaking in an interview with The Guardian, Rasmussen – who served as Denmark’s prime minister from 2001 to 2009 and as NATO chief from 2009 to 2014 – argued that countries like Poland could host such air defense systems, which would send a powerful signal that any Russian strike on them would be treated as an attack on the entire NATO alliance.

“We have to help the Ukrainian people defend themselves against Russian missiles and drones by building an air shield that assists them in shooting down incoming threats,” Rasmussen said. “A NATO-based air defense and missile system can be installed in the nations bordering Ukraine.”

Rasmussen Calls for a European Protection Force

Rasmussen also pushed for the creation of a European protection force for Ukraine, even before any formal ceasefire agreement is reached. He criticized the current slow pace of strategic action, saying that the coalition that once intended to support Ukraine militarily has become a “coalition of the waiting.”

“Without major strategic changes, we are heading toward a forever war,” he warned. “As long as Putin believes he can win on the battlefield, he has no motivation to engage in peace talks. Europe needs a change in mindset and speed.”

Efforts to Build Western Security Guarantees

During his visit to several European capitals, including London, Rasmussen met with Jonathan Powell, the UK’s national security adviser. The two discussed whether the United States could provide security guarantees to Ukraine, modeled after the assurances Washington once offered to Qatar following the Israeli strike on Doha.

According to Rasmussen, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would find it easier to gain domestic support for a peace deal involving territorial losses if there were firm and lasting security guarantees from Western allies.

Call for Tougher Measures Against Russia

The former NATO head emphasized that bold actions are needed to make Vladimir putin rethink his strategy. Rasmussen proposed deploying European troops in Ukraine, installing a European-based missile and drone shield, and supplying long-range missiles to Kyiv to strike deeper inside Russian territory.

He urged Germany to take the lead by providing Ukraine with its Taurus cruise missiles, saying this could pressure the U.S. to reconsider its stance on selling Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv – a move Donald Trump has so far declined to support. “That would put pressure on the White House and send a clear signal across the Atlantic. Germany has a major role in pushing Putin toward negotiations,” Rasmussen added.

Trump’s Shifting Strategy on Ukraine

Rasmussen’s remarks come amid uncertainty surrounding Trump’s Ukraine policy. After initially hinting at a new summit with Putin, Trump later reversed course, canceling the meeting and imposing sanctions on major Russian oil firms Rosneft and Lukoil. His current stance appears to favor letting both sides “fight it out” on the battlefield.

Frozen Russian Assets and War Reparations

Rasmussen also called for the use of frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine’s defense and reconstruction. “Europe must unfreeze the €150 billion [£132 billion] in Russian assets held in Euroclear and use them as collateral for loans to purchase weapons and begin rebuilding Ukraine,” he said.

He expressed optimism that European leaders could overcome opposition to the proposal, particularly from Belgium, home to the Euroclear financial clearing house. The idea is that neither Ukraine nor the EU would repay the loans, as repayment would come from future Russian war reparations.

However, Belgium has cautioned that there are no guarantees such reparations would ever materialize and has demanded loan repayment assurances from all EU member states before agreeing to the plan.

Europe’s Moment of Decision

Rasmussen concluded that Europe must move beyond words and take tangible steps to protect Ukraine’s sovereignty. “Europe still fails to grasp the magnitude of the Russian threat,” he warned. “If we want peace, we must make Putin realize that further aggression will have unbearable costs.”