- Written by Laura Kuenssberg
- Sunday presenter Laura Kuenssberg
An “alliance of authoritarian powers” is becoming more closely aligned against Western democracies, the NATO chief has warned.
Jens Stoltenberg told the BBC that Russia, Iran, China and North Korea are increasingly working together.
He also said he was confident that allies in the NATO military alliance would agree to a long-term funding deal for Ukraine by July.
But he suggested that Ukraine may have to decide on “some kind of compromise”.
On the Middle East conflict, he said there was a “very clear message” that the US and other NATO countries must do “significantly more” to protect civilians and aid workers after the world’s central kitchen. He said what he told Israel was “very important.” Convoy attack.
Stoltenberg took over the leadership of NATO, the Western defense alliance, 10 years ago.
Speaking to mark the organization’s 75th anniversary, he said the world was becoming “more dangerous, more unpredictable” and “more violent”.
He said there were “authoritarian” alliances that gave each other substantial support and were “increasingly aligned.”
“China supports Russia’s war economy and supplies critical components to its defense industry, and in return Russia is mortgaging its future to China,” the NATO chief explained.
Jens Stoltenberg says Western countries must stand up to ‘authoritarian alliances’
He added that Russia was providing technology to Iran and North Korea in return for ammunition and military equipment.
Stoltenberg told me that NATO needs to work with other countries across geographies, such as Japan and South Korea, to “confront this alliance of stronger authoritarian powers.”
In recent days, the head of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has hoped for a €100bn (about £8.6tn) fund over five years to persuade other countries to commit more money to the war effort in Ukraine. Trying to. He said he was confident a deal could be reached by July, despite some countries expressing hesitation this week.
Long-term support is now essential to rebuild post-conflict countries, he said.
“Even if we believe and hope that the war will end in the near future, we need to support Ukraine over the years to build up its defenses to deter future aggression,” he said. Ta.
However, Stoltenberg said military support was essential to drive Russian forces out of Ukraine and force Putin to abandon his occupation goals, although he also warned that Ukraine may eventually have to make concessions. He also suggested that there was.
“At the end of the day, it has to be Ukraine that decides what kind of compromises they are willing to make. “We need to do that,” he said. He said.
NATO chief says Ukraine may have to decide what compromises to make
He said he was not asking Ukraine for concessions now, adding that “true peace” would be achieved if “Ukraine wins.” However, President Volodymyr Zelensky’s language is noteworthy, as he has always been adamant that he would never negotiate with President Putin, despite requests from the pope and others.
Stoltenberg declined to answer questions about whether he was concerned about Donald Trump’s possible return to the White House, saying he was confident the United States would remain a vital ally no matter who was in charge. That’s all he said.
But his comments about how regimes around the world work together are a reminder to Western leaders of the complex and dangerous diplomatic puzzles they must piece together.
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More than two years have passed since the Ukraine conflict, and our politicians are concerned that what is happening there will influence decisions not only in Moscow and Kiev, but also in Washington DC, Brussels, London, and even Beijing, Tehran, and even We have to grapple with the reality that we are being affected. Pyongyang.
Meanwhile, as Jeremy Bowen writes, six months into the Middle East conflict in Gaza, the solution lies not only in the Israelis and Palestinians, but also in the politics of the Iranians, the US, the Gulf states and the UK. They are also influenced by the decisions of their families.
Recently, the dispute over arms sales has taken center stage, and the government has been criticized from all sides. The latest intervention was made on Saturday morning by one former Conservative prime minister, Boris Johnson, against another former prime minister, Lord Cameron.
Foreign policy is rarely the overwhelming driver of voting and public opinion in Britain. This is partly because opposition parties have traditionally sought to avoid domestic disputes over overseas combat.
It’s also because voters’ top priorities typically center on their own lives and the future of their families. But that doesn’t mean the public is unconcerned or unconcerned with the horrors unfolding on our screens every day, or unaffected by world events. For example, consider a significant increase in energy prices due to: Ukraine conflict.
And all the complex conflicts around the world are increasingly taking away politicians’ time, energy, and effort.