NATO chief predicts new war as China could push Russia to attack alliance
Photo: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (Getty Images)
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, in an interview with The New York Times, said that China could push Russia to attack NATO countries to divert the bloc's attention from the Indo-Pacific region. If Beijing decides to attack Taiwan, it is highly likely that it will use Russia to strike Europe.
Rutte explained that the United States, while defending NATO territory in Europe, is also protecting its own interests in Asia. According to him, the US cannot be safe unless the Atlantic, Europe, and the Arctic are also secure.
The NATO Secretary General suggested that China might use Russia to divert US attention in Europe so that it can focus on capturing Taiwan. Rutte believes that Americans and Europeans should not be "naive about this."
"If Xi Jinping would attack Taiwan, he would first make sure that he makes a call to his very junior partner in all of this, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, residing in Moscow, and telling him, 'Hey, I'm going to do this, and I need you to to keep them busy in Europe by attacking NATO territory,'" he explained.
Rutte considers this scenario one of the most likely in the future. He identified two measures necessary to deter the Russians and Chinese. The first is to make the prospect of attacking NATO so suicidal for the Kremlin that it would never agree to it.
"And second, working together with the Indo-Pacific — something President Trump is very much promoting. Because we have this close interconnectedness, working together on the defense industry, innovation between NATO and the Indo-Pacific," the NATO Secretary General added.
China stands behind Russia
Recently, China has increasingly shown support for Russia, despite this contradicting its official position, which it has held for many years. Specifically, China has made it clear to European Union representatives that it will not allow Russia to lose and Ukraine to win.
For Beijing, the Kremlin is not only a future "lightning rod" for the war but also a supplier of resources. China buys large amounts of Russian oil and gas. Recently, it was reported that Russia sharply increased metal sales to China.
