NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned that Europe and the Indo-Pacific are becoming increasingly interconnected, saying a Chinese move against Taiwan could prompt Beijing to call on Russia to keep the West occupied in Europe.
Speaking at the Conference of the Heads of German Missions in Berlin, Rutte said there was growing recognition in Europe and the United States that a conflict over Taiwan could have consequences far beyond the Indo-Pacific.
‘Both in Europe, and there’s also the realization increasingly both in Europe and in the United States that if China would move against Taiwan or anything in the First Island Chain, that Xi Jinping will first call his junior partner in all of this, which is one Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin in Moscow, to keep us busy here,’ Rutte said.
West could face challenges in two theatres
Rutte said such a scenario could leave the West facing a ‘serious problem in both theaters’, referring to Europe and the Indo-Pacific.
‘In other words, the Indo-Pacific and Europe are more and more interconnected,’ he said.
His remarks highlighted the growing recognition that developments in one region could have implications for security in another.
Rutte warns against underestimating Russia
The NATO chief also said the alliance should not be ‘naive’ about the threat posed by Russia, amid calls to reach an accommodation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
‘This is long-term. It is a threat,’ he said.
