Jeanne Shaheen Questions Expert on Russia-China-DPRK Alliance Impact on Indo-Pacific

Impact of Russia-China-DPRK Cooperation

• 🇰🇵 North Korea has supplied approximately 50% of Russian munitions used in the war in Ukraine, significantly impacting the battlefield.
• 🌍 The cooperation has raised concerns among Indo-Pacific partners, leading them to consider the possibility of simultaneous conflicts in areas like the Taiwan Strait and the Korean Peninsula.
• 🤝 There's a growing recognition that the European and Indo-Pacific security theaters are interconnected, blurring the lines between them.

Challenges in Deterring Russia and China

• 🇺🇸 The China-Russia relationship complicates the United States' ability to deter these two countries independently.
• ⚔️ It also makes it more difficult to compel them to cease hostilities, as they can act as a strategic rear to one another.

Separating Russia and China: A Difficult Endeavor

• 📉 Historical analysis suggests that attempts to pull Russia away from China through inducements are unlikely to succeed.
• 💰 European countries' strong economic ties with China make them reluctant to impose significant costs, which could otherwise influence China's relationship with Russia.
• 🤝 The current dynamic, particularly between Putin and Xi Jinping, has created a mutually reinforcing relationship that resembles an alliance.
• 🗺️ Unlike historical diplomatic successes, such as Kissinger's overtures to China when it was estranged from the Soviet Union, the current situation involves two countries with a strong existing partnership, making a similar strategy unlikely to succeed.