Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Tuesday said that the Western world in its naivety compromised security by becoming economically dependent on countries like Russia and China.
“We have been too naive, and in the western part of the world we have been too focused on getting richer, and therefore we also have built up dependencies on countries that we should not be dependent on — gas from Russia, and new technologies from China,” she said in an interview to Financial Times published on Tuesday.
Frederiksen said the time calls for Western governments to have a discussion with the public on security matters as “in general we haven't paid a price for our freedom the past 30 years”.
She said that Europe must curb welfare spending and increase defense and security funding to deter a “more aggressive Russia,” adding that “from a European perspective we have to admit that we haven't used enough money on our own defence and security."
"Freedom comes with a price," she said.
The premier said Russia's expansionist foreign policy is not just limited to the political ambitions of President Vladimir Putin. “After two years of a full-scale invasion, you cannot just talk about one man. You have to talk about the country. I see a more aggressive Russia in all aspects, not only in Ukraine. And I think we have to ask ourselves: is it the final destination for Russia? Or part of what they want to achieve in building a Greater Russia again?”
She warned that Russia has the potential to attack or challenge a NATO country in the coming years if proper deterrence and a defense mechanism is not established under a unified NATO.
“They are building a war economy now in Russia and in a few years they will be able to attack or challenge a NATO country if we are not able to do deterrence and defence and if we are not united in NATO,” Frederiksen said.
“What we have to do in the coming years is to ensure it will not happen,” she concluded.
