Time for flattering Trump is over, - former NATO Secretary General Rasmussen
Former Danish Prime Minister and former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen called on the European Union to be prepared for a tough economic response to the actions of the United States.
He made this statement in an interview with Reuters, according to Censor.NET.
According to Rasmussen, if the US imposes tariffs on countries that send troops to Greenland, the EU must respond with a strong economic blow.
"The time for flattery is over. It doesn't work. The thing is, Trump only respects strength and power. And unity. That is exactly what Europe must demonstrate now," he stressed.
Rasmussen believes that Donald Trump's insistence on Greenland joining the US is the biggest challenge for NATO since the Alliance was founded in 1949.
At the same time, he noted that he does not intend to criticize current NATO leaders, in particular Secretary General Mark Rutte, who have publicly spoken favorably about Trump. However, in his opinion, the EU should keep at the ready an instrument for combating economic coercion—the so-called "bazooka," which allows for a tough response to external pressure.
Separately, Rasmussen proposed a plan to resolve the crisis surrounding Greenland. It provides for the renewal of the 1951 agreement between the US and Denmark on the deployment of a stronger NATO presence on the island.
The initiative also includes an investment pact for American and European companies involved in mineral extraction in Greenland and a "stabilization and sustainability compensation" mechanism aimed at preventing Chinese and Russian investment in critical sectors.
According to Rasmussen, he plans to discuss this plan with delegates during the World Economic Forum in Davos.
