NATO will discuss Russia, China rapprochement: Stoltenberg
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NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg considers that the events in Asia have an impact on Europe.
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NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. (AP)
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that the coalition member states will discuss China's growing rapprochement with Russia following Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Moscow earlier in March.
Earlier, Washington expressed concern about Russia and China's increasing cooperation and accused Beijing of allegedly assisting Moscow in the war in Ukraine.
In response to Washington's increasingly confrontational position, China said that it will never accept that US "finger-pointing" target China-Russia relations and called on the US to work toward a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis instead of deteriorating the situation.
Read more: Stoltenberg links Ukraine NATO accession to 'independence'
The NATO chief added that the coalition will discuss the impact of the Ukraine war on the Indo-Pacific region, pointing out that "what is happening in Europe is important for the Indo-Pacific region and for Asia, and what is happening in Asia is important for Europe."
Foreign ministers of the member states of NATO will meet on Wednesday for the second day of talks, in the presence of Finland, the newly joined member.
On Tuesday, Finland became the 31st member of NATO, in a historic strategic shift that began after the war in Ukraine erupted.
Read more: Austin looks forward to seeing Sweden in NATO 'as soon as possible
Finland will begin participating in all the tasks of the alliance after its formal accession and the alliance will guarantee its security, Stoltenberg confirmed.
After Finland officially joined, Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that Finland's accession to NATO is another aggravation of the situation, pointing out that Moscow considers the expansion of the alliance an infringement on its security.
"The Kremlin believes that this is another aggravation of the situation. The expansion of NATO is an infringement on our security and Russia's national interests," Peskov told a briefing.
The expansion of NATO forces Russia to take countermeasures to ensure its own security, the Russian diplomat underlined.
"Naturally, this forces us to take countermeasures to ensure our own security both tactically and strategically," he said.
