Former NATO chief Rasmussen criticizes Scholz for wartime wavering

Former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has criticized German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for being too hesitant.

In an interview published on Tuesday in the Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Rasmussen said with regard to the war in Ukraine, "We need heads of state who act decisively."

In times of war, you cannot lead by following public opinion. "We need a much more determined German government. Chancellor Scholz is far too slow, far too hesitant. He doesn't come across as a leader," said Rasmussen.

The German chancellor has been blocking the delivery of longer-range Taurus cruise missiles to Kiev for months out of concern that they could be used to strike targets within Russia and further escalate the conflict. There has been pressure within his government to reverse his stance.

This is another reason why Germany is not sufficiently recognized for providing the most financial support to Ukraine after the United States, Rasmussen added.

Scholz should act much more proactively. "I don't understand why Germany is not supplying Taurus [missiles]," said Rasmussen.

Europe must switch to a war economy and supply Ukraine with all the weapons it needs, the former NATO chief said. "We must finally realize the seriousness of the situation. Putin will not let up, especially not until the elections in the USA."

Moreover, he advocated extending an invitation to Ukraine to join NATO as soon as possible. "I don't know whether this will happen at the NATO summit in July," he said.

"But I would like to counter the argument that it is impossible to initiate an accession process as long as Ukraine is still at war."

He stated that this argument sends the wrong signal to Russian President Vladimir Putin because "he would know that he simply has to continue the war endlessly in order to prevent Ukraine from becoming a NATO member."

"We have to break this vicious circle," he said.

Rasmussen has held the prime minister's post in Denmark and is currently co-chair of the International Working Group on Security Issues and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine.