Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron currently lead the Coalition of the Willing to protect Ukraine from Russia in the event of a ceasefire Credit:
Britain and France should lead a “Coalition of the Willing” to take responsibility for Europe’s defence without help from the United States, a former Nato chief has said.
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who served as the alliance’s secretary-general between 2009 and 2014, said a new security architecture was needed in response to Donald Trump’s threats to withdraw from Nato.
He proposed expanding the Coalition of the Willing, which was set up to defend Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire, to assume responsibility for Europe’s conventional defence.
“I still consider Nato the cornerstone of European and North Atlantic security,” he told The Telegraph.
“But, after President Trump has raised doubts about his commitment towards Article Five [a mutual defence clause stating an attack on one member state is an attack on all] and the whole Nato alliance, we need to strengthen the European pillar of Nato.”
The 35-nation coalition, including Kyiv, is planning a post-war deployment to shield Ukraine from further Russian aggression.
But instead of solely protecting Ukraine, its role could be broadened to focus on continental security, according to Mr Rasmussen. Under Mr Rasmussen’s plan, Kyiv would be included in this alliance.
“Whatever will be the outcome of possible future peace negotiations, we will still have an aggressive Russia bordering Europe, so we need Ukraine as a bulwark against that aggressive Russia.
“That’s why I think we should include Ukraine in a new European security architecture, and by that, we can strengthen Nato.”
Mr Rasmussen said the broadened coalition “should be led by the two nuclear powers in Europe: France and the UK, which is already the case”.
- Paris currently hosts the coalition’s headquarters, which will move to London after its first 12 months.
- Mr Rasmussen said a Coalition of the Willing was needed because he did not “want to include hesitant countries” that were part of other alliances, such as the European Union.
- A number of European Union member states, such as Austria and Ireland, are considered militarily neutral, while others take a more pro-Kremlin stance.
- There are also key NATO allies, such as Britain, Norway and Turkey, that are not members of the bloc.
- A broadened Coalition of the Willing should be led by ‘the two nuclear powers in Europe’, which includes Britain Credit: Cpl Katrina Knox/Ministry of Defence
Discussions about the future of the continent’s security have been accelerated after Mr Trump criticised European Nato allies for refusing to join his war in Iran.
His complaints cast instant doubt over whether he would sanction US military support for European allies if Article 5 was triggered.
In response, EU member states have been discussing the viability of the bloc’s own mutual defence clause, Article 42.7, which is written into its Lisbon Treaty.
Mr Rasmussen, who has also served as Denmark’s prime minister, dismissed the idea as “weaker than Article Five”.
“The European Union, as such, does not have the military capabilities needed to actually implement 42.7,” he added.
In another dig at Brussels, he described proposals by Andrius Kubilius, the EU’s defence commissioner, for a European security council 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.” Mr Rasmussen continued.
“Down the road, you can discuss many interesting structures for Europe to take care of our own destiny, but here, now, we need a Coalition of the Willing, which would include a new decision-making body.”
Mr Rasmussen also suggested that Europe should not shy away from supporting Mr Trump’s war in Iran by promising to unblock the Strait of Hormuz as part of a deal to lower US trade tariffs.
“I think we in Europe should say to Trump, ‘OK, now we have this problem,’” he said.
“We’re in this together. We are willing to help you, provided that you will stay engaged in Europe, including supporting Ukraine, and we don’t understand why you are imposing tariffs on your allies. Ideally, they should be taken off the table.
“This is a transactional approach, exactly the approach President Trump would use. Something for something … we will help you, if you will help us. That’s how allies work together.”
- He added that the new defensive coalitions should work in tandem with NATO, rather than replace it.
- The US would retain its leadership role within the alliance to ensure its nuclear umbrella remains in place over Europe.
He said: “Even if I foresee that the Coalition of the Willing will take responsibility for more and more of the conventional defence of Europe, we will still have the overall nuclear umbrella provided by the United States, which I think requires that [the] Supreme Allied Commander Europe will still be an American.”
Britain and France should lead new European NATO, says ex-chief
Coalition of the Willing should take responsibility for continent’s security without Trump’s help, says former alliance chief
Joe Barnes is The Telegraph’s Brussels Correspondent. See more
Published 25 April 2026 6:00am BST
Mr Rasmussen said the broadened coalition “should be led by the two nuclear powers in Europe: France and the UK, which is already the case”.
- A number of European Union member states, such as Austria and Ireland, are considered militarily neutral, while others take a more pro-Kremlin stance.
- There are also key NATO allies, such as Britain, Norway and Turkey, that are not members of the bloc.
Discussions about the future of the continent’s security have been accelerated after Mr Trump criticised European NATO allies for refusing to join his war in Iran.
“I think we in Europe should say to Trump, ‘OK, now we have this problem,’”
“We’re in this together. We are willing to help you, provided that you will stay engaged in Europe, including supporting Ukraine, and we don’t understand why you are imposing tariffs on your allies. Ideally, they should be taken off the table.
“This is a transactional approach, exactly the approach President Trump would use. Something for something … we will help you, if you will help us. That’s how allies work together.”
“Down the road, you can discuss many interesting structures for Europe to take care of our own destiny, but here, now, we need a Coalition of the Willing, which would include a new decision-making body.”
Mr Rasmussen also suggested that Europe should not shy away from supporting Mr Trump’s war in Iran by promising to unblock the Strait of Hormuz as part of a deal to lower US trade tariffs.
The UK is losing a race against time to reach war footing
If all the former defence and security chiefs who have warned about the critical weakness of Britain’s defences were gathered together, it would make an impressive multidisciplinary task force. Indeed, that is what they have become, a kind of bemedalled and highly experienced A-team intent on saving the nation’s defences from further neglect.
Their sorties are becoming more frequent and undertaken with increasing firepower. In recent weeks, we have heard from George Robertson, former head of Nato; Admiral Sir John Radakin, until last September chief of the general staff; Colonel Tim Collins of Iraq war fame; Sir Alex Younger, the former head of MI6; General Sir Richard Barrons, the former joint forces command; and numerous former defence secretaries, including Sir Ben Wallace.
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