WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden has signed a new national security directive intended to guide the soon-to-be Trump administration in addressing the increasing alliances between China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia, announced the White House on Wednesday.
Officials from the Biden administration initiated the creation of this roadmap during the summer. It is designed to assist the forthcoming administration from the very beginning in strategizing their response to the deepening connections among America’s most significant foes and rivals, shared by two senior administration officials.
The senior officials, who requested anonymity due to the confidential nature of the briefing rules established by the White House, indicated that the classified document would remain undisclosed due to the sensitive nature of its content.
The document includes four broad recommendations: improving U.S. government interagency cooperation, speeding up the sharing of information with allies about the four adversaries, calibrating the U.S. government’s use of sanctions and other economic tools for maximum effectiveness, and bolstering preparation to manage simultaneous crises involving the adversaries.
The U.S. for many years has been concerned about cooperation among the four countries. Coordination has accelerated between the countries in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The officials noted that as Russia has become more isolated by much of the world, Moscow has turned to Iran for drones and missiles. From North Korea, the Russians have received artillery, missiles and even thousands of troops that have traveled to help the Russians try to repel Ukrainian forces from the Kursk region. China, meanwhile, has supported Russia with dual use components that help keep its military industrial base afloat.
In return, Russia has sent fighter jets to Iran and assisted Tehran as it looks to bolster its missile defense and space technology.
North Korea has received from Russia much-needed fuel and funding to help build out its manufacturing and military capabilities. The officials added that Russia has “de facto accepted North Korea as a nuclear weapon state.”
China, meanwhile, is benefiting from Russian know-how, with the two countries working together to deepen their military technical cooperation. The two nations are also conducting joint patrols in the Arctic region.
Biden and President-elect Donald Trump have sharply different worldviews, but officials in both the incoming and outgoing administrations said they have sought to coordinate on national security issues during the transition.
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
