NATO and its Indo-Pacific allies “must work ever more closely together” to face international challenges posed by Russia’s conflict in opposition to Ukraine and China’s mounting assist for the Kremlin, the top of the navy alliance, Jens Stoltenberg, stated on Thursday.
Speaking forward of a closed-door assembly, Stoltenberg stated leaders from the alliance’s 32 nations, its 4 Indo-Pacific companions — Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea — and the EU “will address our shared security challenges, including Russia’s war against Ukraine, China’s support for Russia’s war economy and the growing alignment of authoritarian powers.”
“In response, we must work ever more closely together to preserve peace and protect the rules-based international order,” he stated.
The session is the primary leader-level assembly on Thursday as NATO prepares to finish a three-day summit in Washington.
U.S. President Joe Biden individually met on the sidelines of the sit-down with Australian Deputy Premier Richard Marles, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to debate “increasing connectivity between Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific security,” the White House stated.
“They expressed grave concern over the increasing military and economic cooperation between Russia and the DPRK, which violates multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions. The leaders also discussed their shared concerns over the People’s Republic of China’s support to Russia’s defense industrial base,” it stated in a readout of the assembly, referring to North Korea by its official acronym.
“President Biden welcomed the growing contributions of NATO’s Indo-Pacific Partners to global security, including their investments in defense, support to Ukraine, and strong leadership in the Indo-Pacific,” it added.
The White House introduced that Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Australian, Japanese, New Zealander and South Korean counterparts “intend to meet later this year to advance further cooperation among our countries.”
Stoltenberg and Biden will maintain news conferences later Thursday to shut the gathering. Stoltenberg can also be anticipated to carry a news convention with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky early within the afternoon.
Source: www.anews.com.tr