The EU must seek close relations with countries in the Western Balkans to prevent them turning towards Russia or China, Rasmussen said.

“[Without good relations] we are leaving the Balkan countries open to Russian or Chinese influence, which is problematic,,” he said.

“For the EU’s part, we must keep reaching out to the countries in the Western Balkans and show that we are serious about the prospect of EU membership,” he added.

A number of Balkan countries are already engaged in talks about possible EU membership.

Rasmussen said the best course for Denmark in this regard is to improve its own bilateral relations with countries in the region.

“As such, we are talking specifically about exploring the possibilities of an agreement between our two countries which could pave the way for greater engagement such as more Danish business investment and more trade,” he said to news wire Ritzau.

“So if we want to make sure that these countries look towards Brussels instead of the Kremlin or Beijing, then we have to strategically invest here. That means cold cash [spent] on infrastructure and things like that,” he added.