Former NATO Chief Says World Must Learn 'Right Lessons' From Putin's War To 'Prevent One In The Taiwan Strait'

The former chief of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, said the world should learn from Russian President Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine to deter Xi Jinping from taking similar steps against Taiwan, as tension in the Strait mounts. 

What Happened: Anders Fogh Rasmussen, former NATO secretary-general and ex-prime minister of Denmark, in an opinion piece for Financial Times, wrote that the democratic world failed to deter Russia from attacking Ukraine and "we must not make the same mistakes with China."

"We must learn the right lessons from the war in Ukraine to prevent one in the Taiwan Strait," added Rasmussen.

See Also: Putin’s Official Pushes For Ukraine Negotiations — But Asks To Keep Annexed Regions On The Table

The comments from Rasmussen come at a time when analysts and geo-political experts worldwide warned that the Taiwan conflict might escalate further in 2023. 

Meanwhile, the Xi-led Chinese government has once again renewed its threats to attack the island nation and warned the foreign delegations visiting the self-governed nation that they are “playing with fire.”

The People’s Liberation Army also increased its military activity in the Taiwan Strait and routinely sent several warplanes and vessels toward its neighbor to intimidate it.

Rasmussen said the most important way the world can deter a Chinese move on Taiwan is to ensure that Ukraine wins in the current conflict against Russia. 

"If Russia can gain territory and establish a new status quo by force, it sets a dangerous precedent. China and other autocratic powers will learn that the democratic world's resolve is weak and that nuclear blackmail and military aggression work," Rasmussen wrote.

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