Former NATO chief Rasmussen: we are helping Ukraine and so we are also part of this war

Former prime minister of Denmark and former Secretary General of NATO Anders Fogh Rasmussen spoke with TVN24's Piotr Kraśko. He was asked, among other things, about the Ukrainian counteroffensive and its pace.

"I think we should let it to the Ukrainian to decide how to conduct the counteroffensive," he replied.

"And we should ask ourselves are we responsible for this slow counteroffensive, because we were too hesitant to deliver the weapons the Ukrainians need. So while we discussed and while we hesitated, Putin used the time to fortify his defences in eastern Ukraine, and that’s why it’s so difficult to conduct the counteroffensive right now," he added.

Piotr Kraśko noted that Ukraine had been asking the West for fighter jets since the early stages of the conflict, and had Ukraine received them, it would already be using them instead of waiting.

"I don’t understand why we have imposed all those restrictions on ourselves, on our weapons deliveries. We had one thing to do – to deliver all weapons the Ukrainians need to win this war. We cannot win that war by incremental step-by-step approach. We have surprise and overwhelm our adversary. And that’s why should deliver all the weapons the Ukrainians need and as fast as possible," Rasmussen said.

The former NATO chief also said that a majority of people in the West think the war in Ukraine is also their war.

"You shouldn’t be surprised that in fact we are part of this war, and that in full accordance with international law. According to the U.N. charter, a country that has been attacked by another country has the inherent right to defend itself. But, furthermore, it also has the right to ask its allies to help it defend itself. And that’s exactly what is going on now. The Ukrainian government has requested our help, and we are helping Ukraine. And for that reason, we are also part of this war," he explained.

Rasmussen added he was "pretty sure that Ukraine will join NATO".

"We already decided that back in 2008. Ukraine will become member of NATO. The problem was that we did not outline a road map for that membership. We didn’t do anything to move Ukraine forward towards NATO membership, which placed Ukraine in a grey zone, in a waiting room, and that’s a dangerous place. We have to realize, grey zones are danger zones. In today’s security environment, neutrality does not exist," he underscored.

Anders Fogh Rasmussen has been at the centre of European and global politics for over three decades as a leading Danish parliamentarian, Danish Minister of Economic Affairs, Prime Minister of Denmark and, last but not least, as Secretary General of NATO. Upon leaving NATO, Mr. Rasmussen founded his strategic advisory firm “Rasmussen Global”, which provides geopolitical and strategic consulting services.

He is also the Chairman of the Alliance of Democracies Foundation, a non-profit organisation for the advancement of democracy and free markets across the globe.

WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH ANDERS FOGH RASMUSSEN BELOW