Britain and France should lead 'new European Nato' without Trump and expand ‘Coalition of the Willing’, says former chief
The former head of Nato has urged Britain and France to lead a “new European Nato”, warning that Europe must be prepared to act without the US
A former Nato chief has urged Europe to break away from its reliance on the US by creating an expanded 'Coalition of the Willing'.
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Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who served as the secretary-general of NATO from 2009 to 2014, has proposed expanding the 'Coalition of the Willing', a group of 35 nations brought together by France and the UK in early 2025 to help defend Ukraine.
Mr Rasmussen's comments follow Trump’s characterisation of NATO as a “paper tiger” for failing to back US in its conflict with Iran. Trump suggested withdrawing from the alliance is “beyond reconsideration”.
His criticism has cast doubt over whether he would sanction US military support for European allies if Article Five was triggered.
Article Five, NATO’s collective defence clause, states that an armed attack against one member is an attack against all.
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Speaking with Euronews, Rasmussen said: "I still consider Nato the cornerstone of European and North Atlantic security."
However, he added: "After President Trump has raised doubts about his commitment towards Article Five and the whole Nato alliance, we need to strengthen the European pillar of Nato."
It comes after plans were tabled by the coalition involving the post-war deployment of troops to protect Ukraine from further Russian aggression.
However, Mr Rasmussen suggested it should expand beyond Ukraine, transforming into a broader European defence force. The coalition, currently headquartered in Paris, could take on greater responsibility for the continent’s security.
“Ukraine will actually be an asset within this Coalition of the Willing,” he said, arguing that with Russia bordering Europe, Ukraine is needed as a “bulwark” against Russian aggression.
"That's why I think we should include Ukraine in a new European security architecture, and by that, we can strengthen Nato."
Leadership would rest with Europe's two nuclear powers, France and the UK.
EU member states have been discussing the viability of the bloc's own mutual defence provision, Article 42.7.
A little-known guarantee for collective defence, the provision, written into the EU’s Lisbon Treaty, obliges member states to provide military, humanitarian and financial aid to other members in case of attack. It is intended to complement NATO and has only been invoked once, by France during the November 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris.
However, it has long been dismissed by critics as unworkable given NATO’s existing role. Rasmussen described it as "weaker than Article Five," noting that Brussels lacks the military capacity to enforce it.
"The European Union, as such, does not have the military capabilities needed to actually implement 42.7," he said told the Telegraph.
Rasmussen also criticised proposals from Andrius Kubilius, the EU’s defence commissioner, for a European security council, dismissing them as “fluffy”.
"We are speaking about the hard defence of Europe. So we need a group of countries in Europe that are capable and willing to do what is needed," Rasmussen said.
Instead, he urged for immediate action over lengthy institutional discussions.
Mr Rasmussen also called for a more transactional approach with Washington, suggesting Europe could support Trump’s military operations in Iran in exchange for continued US commitment to Europe and Ukraine.
“Something for something — we will help you if you help us,” he said, urging the US to remain engaged in Europe and scrap tariffs on allies.
He stressed any new European defence structure should complement, not replace, NATO, with the US retaining overall command to preserve its nuclear guarantee