Former NATO Secretary General and former Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen urged European countries not to rush to appoint a special envoy for negotiations with Russia. According to him, conditions must first be created under which Moscow will be forced to comply with the West's position.
In his article for The Economist, Rasmussen notes that the Kremlin respects only force, which is why any peace initiatives must be based on real political, economic and military pressure, Focus writes.
He commented on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's call for a personal meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as discussions in Europe about the possible sending of a peace mediator for contacts with Moscow. According to the Danish politician, the very fact of the appearance of a negotiator will have no meaning if the positions of Ukraine and Europe are not strengthened in advance.
“They only respect force“, Rasmussen emphasizes, referring to the Russian leadership.
Three steps to increase pressure on Moscow
The former head of the Alliance believes that Europe should focus on three key areas:
First - intensifying strikes on the Russian military economy. Rasmussen calls for supporting Ukrainian long-range attacks on Russia's military infrastructure and cutting off the supply channels for components for its arms industry. According to him, special attention should be paid to the supply of chemical precursors for solid rocket fuel and Western microelectronics that enter Russia through third countries. He also explicitly emphasizes the need to combat the so-called "shadow fleet", through which the Kremlin circumvents the oil embargo to finance the war.
Second - accelerated restoration of Ukraine's critical infrastructure. According to Rasmussen, the upcoming winter will be another serious test, as Russia continues to attack the Ukrainian energy system. He proposes using equipment from decommissioned power plants in EU countries to quickly restore Ukrainian capacity. According to him, every restored megawatt in Ukrainian cities strengthens Kiev's position in possible future negotiations.
Third - a clear prospect of EU membership. Rasmussen is convinced that Ukraine's integration into the EU will be the strongest signal to the Kremlin that it cannot subjugate the country. Since Moscow does not have the right to veto the expansion of the European bloc, this process can become a long-term guarantee of security. The politician also calls for overcoming the blocking of common European decisions by individual member states, specifically referring to the position of Hungary.
Europe must take the lead
Rasmussen notes that in recent years it is European countries that have increasingly taken responsibility for supporting Ukraine. He highlighted the role of Germany, as well as the joint initiatives of France and Great Britain within the framework of the so-called "coalition of the willing".
In his words, only after these decisive steps are taken will Europe be able to conduct substantive negotiations with Russia for a just and lasting peace. Without them, no mediator or special representative will have real leverage to influence the Kremlin.