NATO Secretary General Warns Threats From Russia's Relations With China, Iran And North Korea

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. (Wikimedia Commons/Lauri Heikkinen/valtioneuvoston kanslia)

JAKARTA - Russia's growing economic and military cooperation with China, North Korea, and Iran threatens Europe, the Indo-Pacific and North America, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said on Tuesday.

Rutte, in what appears to be a message to the next United States government as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to hold office, underlines the importance of transatlantic unity, as well as ongoing support for Ukraine in its war with Russia.

Speaking before talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, Rutte outlined what he saw as the danger posed by North Korea and Iran's military assistance to Russia.

"At the same time, China supports Russia's economy, supports its defense industry, and strengthens its narrative throughout the world stage," Rutte said.

"Russia in collaboration with North Korea, Iran, and China not only threatens Europe, but also threatens peace and security, yes, here in Europe, but also in the Indo-Pacific and in North America," he continued.

Trump is known to criticize the great West aid for Kyiv, saying he will soon end the conflict in Ukraine, without explaining how. His victory in the US presidential election has raised concerns in Kyiv and other European capitals about the level of US commitment in the future to help Ukraine.

Separately, Russia has advanced at the fastest pace since 2022 on the Ukriana battlefield despite heavy losses.

Last week, Ukraine said last week it had clashed with about 11,000 North Korean troops deployed to Russia's Kursk territory.

Kyiv is now struggling to put himself in the strongest position for any negotiations, including by securing more weapons and defending on the battlefield. A senior Ukrainian official told Reuters the next four to five months would be very important.

"We must be committed again to defending the direction of war and we must do more than just defend Ukraine in combat," Rutte said.

"We need to increase costs for (President of Russia Vladimir) Putin and his authoritarian threats that allow by giving Ukraine the support it needs to change the course of the conflict," he added.

Meanwhile, President Macron said he would continue to encourage aid deliveries to Ukraine as long as necessary.

"That's the only way to get to the negotiations and I want to emphasize that when the time comes, nothing can be decided about Ukraine without Ukraine and about Europe without Europe," he said.