NATO allies call China a ‘decisive enabler’ of Russia’s war in Ukraine

In their strongest rebuke yet against Beijing, NATO allies labeled China a “decisive enabler” of Russia’s war on Ukraine and raised concerns about China’s nuclear arsenal and space capabilities during their Washington summit.

The 32 NATO members approved a final communiqué, emphasizing that China is increasingly becoming a focus for the alliance. European, North American, and Indo-Pacific partners see shared security threats from Russia and its Asian supporters, particularly China.

Despite Beijing’s claims of not providing military aid to Russia, China has maintained robust trade relations with Russia throughout the conflict and accused NATO of overreaching in the Indo-Pacific.

The communiqué stated that China’s “no-limits partnership” with Russia and significant support for Russia’s defense industry amplify the threat Russia poses to its neighbors and Euro-Atlantic security. NATO urged China, as a permanent UN Security Council member, to stop all material and political support for Russia’s war effort, warning that continued support would harm China’s interests and reputation.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg highlighted that China provides equipment and microelectronics enabling Russia to produce weapons used in the Ukraine conflict. He noted that this was the first time all NATO allies had collectively stated this in an official document.