The West must confront the ‘deadly quartet’ of global adversaries

LONDON — Hot on the heels of last week’s NATO summit that highlighted the threat and “systemic challenges” posed by Russia, China, North Korea and Iran, geopolitical and defense experts say the West must now prepare itself to confront such adversaries.

Former NATO chief George Robertson on Tuesday warned that the U.K.’s armed forces must have the capacity to confront a “deadly quartet” of rivals, as he launched a strategic review into Britain’s defensive capabilities.

“We’re confronted by a deadly quartet of nations increasingly working together,” he said, in comments reported by Sky News.

“We in this country and the NATO alliance … have got to be able to confront that particular quartet as well as the other problems that are pervading the world,” he added.

Robertson did not explicitly name the members of the quartet, but the other three countries are thought to be Russia, Iran and North Korea — countries that NATO last week described as posing a threat and systemic challenges to “Euro-Atlantic security.”

The use of the word “deadly” to allude to China matches a ramping-up of rhetoric against Russia’s ally in last week’s NATO summit, where Beijing’s status as an adversary was acknowledged more publicly than ever.

In the summit declaration, China was described as a “decisive enabler” of Russia’s war against Ukraine and as posing “systemic challenges to Euro-Atlantic security,” with the military coalition citing “sustained malicious cyber and hybrid activities” and concerns over the diversification of Beijing’s nuclear arsenal and space capabilities.

NATO leaders meeting in Washington agreed that China’s “coercive” policies and ambitions challenged the defense pact’s “interests, security and values,” positioning Beijing as a key opponent of the alliance.

The NATO declaration also said China’s “deepening strategic partnership” with Russia was of “profound” concern, although it was clear that Russia and its ongoing war on Ukraine remained the alliance’s most immediate concern.

The coalition described Moscow as having “shattered” peace and stability in the West and having “gravely undermined global security.” Russia’s nuclear capabilities and hybrid action through proxies, such as malicious cyber activities, provocations at allied borders and disinformation campaigns were all noted as particular threats.

Russia’s allies North Korea and Iran were also accused of “fuelling Russia’s war of aggression” against Ukraine by providing direct military support to Russia, such as munitions and unmanned aerial…