NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg warns an 'alliance of authoritarian powers' ... trends now
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has warned the West's enemies are working more closely as an 'alliance of authoritarian powers' including Russia, Iran and China.
He described growing links between those three countries as well as North Korea in efforts to undermine Western democracies, in a world which has become 'much more dangerous'.
Russia's president Vladimir Putin, whose country's ongoing invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, shook hands last October at a summit with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.
Mr Stoltenberg's warnings came as two former defence ministers suggested Britain had failed to prepare for war in a 'whole-nation endeavour', amid fears of an all-out conflict with Russia.
Outgoing armed forces minister James Heappey revealed only Ministry of Defence officials turned up to an exercise to prepare for wartime scenarios which was meant for the whole of Government.
Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg says the West must stand up against an 'authoritarian' alliance
Russia's president Vladimir Putin, left, shook hands last October with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during a meeting in China's capital Beijing
He called on ministers to do more to prepare for conflict just weeks after resigning his MoD post.
Ben Wallace, the Conservative former defence secretary, agreed with his colleague, and said too many in Government were 'just hoping everything will go away'.
Mr Stoltenberg told the BBC this morning he hoped Nato's allies would agree a long-term funding deal for Ukraine by July - but indicated President Volodymyr Zelensky's under-siege nation might have to decide on some 'kind of compromises'.
Speaking as Nato marks its 75th anniversary, Mr Stoltenberg - head of the organisation for the past 10 years - said the world was now 'much more dangerous, much more unpredictable' and 'much more violent'.
And he cautioned about what he called an 'authoritarian' alliance providing each other with 'more and more aligned' practical support.
Mr Stoltenberg said: 'China is propping up the Russian war economy, delivering key parts to the defence industry, and in return Moscow is mortgaging its future to Beijing.'
He also accused Russia of giving technology to Iran and North Korea in return for ammunition and other military supplies.
He insisted: 'Even if we believe and hope that the war will end in the near future, we need to support Ukraine for many years, to build their defences to deter future aggression.'
But he also warned: 'At the end of the day, it has to be Ukraine that decides what kind of compromises they're willing to do.
'We need to enable them to be in a position where they actually achieve an acceptable result around the negotiating table.'
Earlier, writing in the Telegraph newspaper, Mr Heappey - who quit the Government last month - said the UK was behind allies who had taken steps to reinforce citizens' preparedness for war.
Britain has failed to prepare for war in a 'whole-nation endeavour', ex-defence ministers have warned. Pictured: Soldiers line-up during a combined NATO and US Army exercise in Poland last May
Outgoing armed forces minister James Heappey (pictured) revealed that only Ministry of Defence officials turned up to an exercise to prepare for wartime scenarios which was meant for the whole of Government
Ben Wallace (pictured), the Conservative former defence secretary, agreed with his colleague, and said too many in Government were 'just hoping everything will go away'
He gave the example of Sweden, where the government has handed out a booklet explaining what to do in a time of war, including which emergency food provisions to store.
Mr Heappey wrote: 'It's a stark reminder that war is
