Former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has called for the creation of a new defense alliance that would serve as an alternative to US leadership. In an interview with Democracy News Alliance, he stated that the US under Donald Trump appears to be stepping back from its role as the natural leader of the free world.
Rasmussen sees the European Union (EU), the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea as potential members of the new alliance, which he would like to call D7. The "D" stands for democracy. "If we pool our resources and present a united front, we represent an impressive power," Rasmussen said.
He emphasized the need for a collective response to economic threats and suggested formulating an economic Article 5 within the D7 alliance. This would state that an economic attack on one member state would be considered an attack on all. This could help gain respect in countries like China or the US.
Rasmussen also called for establishing international norms and standards for the use of new technologies and reducing dependencies on raw material supplies. Another important point is the necessity of investing together in the Global South to create an alternative to Chinese investments.
"My biggest concern right now is the unpredictable behavior of the Trump administration," Rasmussen added, pointing to the challenges posed by the current geopolitical climate.
