China-Russia Alignment: A Threat to Europe’s Security

Join us on Tuesday, July 9th from 9 to 9.30 am ET/ 3 to 3.30 pm CET to discuss with the authors the new report "China-Russia Alignment: A Threat to Europe’s Security", jointly written by experts from Chatham House, the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) and MERICS. 

The authors argue that since the start of the war in Ukraine, China-Russia alignment has evolved from a mere challenge into a complex security threat to Europe and its transatlantic partners. 

Here are some of the authors' key findings:

• The new China-Russia alignment is characterized by a strong, flexible political bond but lacks a shared ideology or legal framework. It reflects their mutual use of the political relationship as a tool to achieve their respective objectives and is highly contingent on external factors.
• China is providing Russia with an economic lifeline, helping Moscow to circumvent Western sanctions and expand its military-industrial complex with unrestricted exports of critical dual-use goods.
• China is supporting Russia also with hybrid operations and increased military cooperation, reducing Russia’s diplomatic isolation and promoting Russia’s narrative in the Global South.
• Attempts to drive a wedge between the two “limitless partners” are likely to be counterproductive. Instead, the key is to change Beijing’s calculus for supporting Moscow.

If you have any questions regarding the event, please contact Julia Pallanch at [email protected].