NATO chief says alliance, Indo-Pacific partners 'must work ever more closely together'

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - NATO and its Indo-Pacific allies “must work ever more closely together” to face global challenges posed by Russia's war against Ukraine and China's mounting support for the Kremlin, the head of the military alliance, Jens Stoltenberg, said Thursday.

Speaking ahead of a closed-door meeting, Stoltenberg said leaders from the alliance's 32 nations, its four Indo-Pacific partners -- Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea -- and the EU "will address our shared security challenges, including Russia's war against Ukraine, China's support for Russia's war economy and the growing alignment of authoritarian powers."

"In response, we must work ever more closely together to preserve peace and protect the rules-based international order," he said.

The session is the first leader-level meeting on Thursday as NATO prepares to end a three-day summit in Washington.

Stoltenberg and US President Joe Biden will hold news conferences later Thursday to close the gathering. Stoltenberg is also expected to hold a news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy early in the afternoon.