Ukraine faces 'forever war' if Europe does not pile pressure on Russia - ex-Nato chief

Ukraine is facing a "forever war" and a slow erosion of territory unless Europe dramatically increases pressure on Russia, including by deploying troops and establishing a missile and drone shield on Nato territory to protect Ukraine from attacks on its infrastructure, a former Nato secretary general has said.

- Patrick Wintour Diplomatic editor

Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who held the Nato post from 2009 to 2014 and was the prime minister of Denmark from 2001 to 2009, said in an interview with the Guardian that if countries such as Poland agreed to host such air defences, Russia would understand that an attack on them would be an attack on the whole of the Nato alliance.

He said: "We have to help the Ukrainian [people] protect themselves against Russian missiles and drones by building an air shield helping the Ukrainians shoot down Russian missiles and drones. Nato countries neighbouring Ukraine can be the location for a Nato-based air defence and missile system." Rasmussen also called for the deployment of a European protection force for Ukraine in advance of a ceasefire agreement.

He said the "coalition of the willing" hoping to assemble such a force for when fighting ends had been reduced to a coalition of the waiting.