he serial developments in the East may be unfolding under the shadow of the Ukraine crisis, yet it is possible that these developments may create waves that exacerbate the crisis.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s visit to China, and the statements he made with his Chinese counterpart are noteworthy despite all the reservations clouding Beijing-Moscow relations.
During the press conference they held following their meeting, Russia’s Lavrov and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the following statements:
Lavrov: “We are going through a critical stage in the history of international relations. Together with other like-minded countries, we are going to progress toward a multi-polar, just, and democratic world order.”
Yi: “We are going to work together to carry China-Russia relations to a higher level in the new era. There is no limit to the cooperation between China and Russia. We reject hegemony.”
Similar announcements from these two superpowers, which are on the West’s target board, face clichéd objections claiming that “they cannot establish a strategic alliance.” Yet, it is being forgotten that “even a tactical alliance” will eventually bring together two great powers, and their combined force will be extraordinary.
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Following Beijing, Lavrov paid a visit to New Delhi, India. However, the West is more interested in this visit than the one to China. India is a key superpower in the eyes of the three other great powers as well. It is yet to choose its side and is enjoying the current situation. However, it is possible to find traces of a trend that we have not encountered before in this country. For a considerable time now, New Delhi has been pursuing a path that will allow it to stand on its own feet, independent from the West, especially in the field of military defense.
It is so set on this desire that it bought the S-400 air defense missiles from Russia, and the U.S. just has to suck it up, even though it’s against American interests. It would not have been difficult for them to include it within the scope of Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA)— but, in terms of political relations, it proves to be a challenge, indeed.
This example is not really necessary. India’s Chief of Defense Staff Gen. Bipin Rawat was “killed” recently, and everyone knows that he had an anti-American stance. His policy involved keeping purchases from the U.S. out of the country’s armed forces.
Everyone is curious regarding the outcomes of the Russia-India meeting. The criticality of the meeting that took place under Ukraine’s shadow is blatantly obvious, but those who are determined on finding proof need only know that the U.K. foreign minister’s plane hastily landed in India at about the same moment. Indian media has been publishing reports on Western pressures for the last 24 hours. They are panicking, and London has been picking up all the pieces the U.S. has left behind for some time now.
British influence in the region has always been significant, but reports claimed that India looked the U.K. foreign minister in the eye and said, “We will continue to buy fuel from Russia”! They have a very simple reason as well: the cheap price!
We must add Iran to the fold as well. A meeting took place between Russia and Iran shortly before this visit, and it was announced that both countries would cooperate fully and in every field against Western sanctions.
Two other countries are lining up in the same chain sequence, and their political and strategic effects have reached as far as the Iran-Turkey border: Afghanistan and Pakistan.
A mini summit took place on March 31 as the foreign ministers of Afghanistan, China, and Pakistan gathered in Anhui province, east of China. They reached an agreement to “support each other” with respect to their primary concerns and mutual interests.
They discussed expanding the “China-Pakistan Economic Corridor” to Afghanistan. Afghanistan’s foreign minister offered his gratitude to China and Pakistan for their priceless support of the development and reconstruction of his country. He emphasized active participation in the joint construction of the “Belt and Road” project.
Meanwhile, a crisis is afoot in Islamabad, as parliament collected a “no-confidence vote” against Prime Minister Imran Khan. There will now be a parliament vote with a plan to topple the prime minister. Of course, the timing is telling, and Khan has personally stated, “The U.S. is behind the conspiracy set to topple the government.”
An Anglo-American coup, as well as assassinations, may be in store for Pakistan. Though there is talk of a possible delay, the vote that is expected to take place within seven days will raise tensions. Ankara, for its part, is also closely monitoring developments unfolding in its sister country.