US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has reiterated Washington’s concerns about Russia’s alliances with North Korea, Iran, and China amid its ongoing conflict in Ukraine, emphasizing that such partnerships could damage international reputations.
Speaking at a forum hosted by the Aspen Strategy Group, Blinken addressed the implications of Russia’s military cooperation with Pyongyang and its alleged support from Beijing for Russia's defense industry.
“Now it’s also true that the Russians have found workarounds, and particularly in their relationship with North Korea (and) with Iran,” Blinken said in his remarks during a forum hosted by the Aspen Strategy Group.
“And unfortunately with China, they have found ways to keep the defence industrial base moving so that they can continue to prosecute the aggression against Ukraine,” he added.
Blinken observed that Russia’s deepening ties with North Korea, Iran, and China have been developing over time and may have accelerated due to its conflict in Ukraine.
Highlighting the reputational risks associated with supporting Russia’s military actions, Blinken stressed the importance of maintaining a broad international coalition in support of Ukraine’s defense and territorial integrity.
“It’s not particularly good for your reputation to be working closely with Russia … So, I think China is very uncomfortable in the position it’s in,” he said.
Blinken also underscored the strengthening collaboration among the United States, its European allies, and partners in the Indo-Pacific region during Russia’s conflict in Ukraine, describing it as significant.
“We built convergence across the Atlantic, we built it across the Pacific, and we built it between the Atlantic and Pacific,” he said. “So, I would take our teams and countries that we’ve been working with than anything that Russia has been able to put together.”
He cautioned that China cannot claim to seek improved relations with Europe while contributing to what he described as the greatest threat to European security since the Cold War.
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