Antony Blinken warns of threat to Europe as China helps Russia ‘sustain Ukraine war’
- Beijing is helping fuel Europe’s ‘biggest security threat since the end of the Cold War’, says US secretary of state
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated concerns about China’s support for Russian war efforts in Ukraine on Monday, eight days before a Nato summit begins in Washington.
Blinken said China was helping fuel “the biggest security threat … since the end of the Cold War” for Europe, a threat that is echoed by China’s neighbours in Asia.
He made the comments at the Brookings Institution, a Washington-based think tank.
“Partners in Europe see challenges halfway around the world in Asia as being relevant to them, just as partners in Asia see challenges halfway around the world in Europe as being relevant to them,” Blinken said.
He pointed to a joint statement by Nato and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida last year that said “what happens in Europe could happen in Asia tomorrow” regarding Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea are Nato’s partners in the Indo-Pacific region and will take part in the summit, which starts on July 9. They will gather with leaders of 32 member countries over the three-day summit, the first since Sweden joined the security alliance.
