Next week, NATO will hold its 75th annual summit in Washington. US officials have stated that NATO will focus on discussing Beijing’s support for Moscow during the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
On Friday, a senior US official mentioned that negotiations on the final summit declaration are still ongoing, with the draft containing “very solid” content regarding China.
He reiterated evidence of Beijing aiding Russia in rebuilding its defense industry, mentioning that this not only “fuelled” the Russia-Ukraine conflict but also posed a “long-term challenge to European security, which our allies clearly recognize.”
“Therefore, I believe we will have strong language on this issue,” the official stated, mentioning that NATO will discuss this matter with partners from Europe and the Indo-Pacific region.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg wrote in Foreign Affairs on Wednesday that Russia is increasingly aligning with other authoritarian regimes, including China, who wish to see the US fail, Europe divided, and NATO shaken.
Last month, Stoltenberg stated that “President Putin and Chairman Xi Jinping are both adamantly against NATO because they know that within NATO, the US has something they do not, which is 31 friends and allies.”
However, there is still no consensus on when and how Ukraine will become a NATO member country. Biden administration officials stated on Friday that while allies are still debating the final wording, they will announce a “bridge” to ensure Ukraine ultimately joins NATO “irreversibly.”
On Friday, Stoltenberg mentioned in a press conference before the summit that he expects national leaders and government heads to reach a substantive comprehensive plan on the Ukraine issue.
“NATO will take over the coordination and provision of most international security assistance,” he added, noting that it will not make NATO a party to the conflict, but will enhance Ukraine’s defense capabilities.
Stoltenberg mentioned that allies will also agree on financial commitments to Ukraine, further direct military support, more bilateral security agreements, and work on deepening military interoperability.
He stated that all of these elements “form the bridge for Ukraine to join NATO.”
Next week, NATO will invite leaders from Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea to the summit to deepen cooperation. Stoltenberg stated, “The tighter the alliance of dictators, the more important our close cooperation with friends in the Indo-Pacific region.”
On Tuesday, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington released an analysis on the NATO summit. The report highlights that NATO allies are increasingly realizing the importance of the Asia-Pacific region for their own security.
CSIS noted, “40% of Europe’s trade must pass through the increasingly contested South China Sea, while Russia’s conflict in Ukraine relies on imports of North Korean military equipment and dual-use products from China.”
“The strengthening military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, as well as Russia’s attempts to pressure South Korea to stop supporting Ukraine, may bring Seoul closer to Brussels,” the report stated, adding that during this summit, NATO allies and Indo-Pacific partners may pledge further support to Ukraine, share best practices for countering Chinese and Russian hackers, combat Chinese economic coercion, and enhance defense industry cooperation.