NATO thanks Australia for sending aircraft to watch for Russian threats

1 month ago 7

Brussels: NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has thanked Australia for sending a surveillance aircraft to watch for threats from Russia, as he warned that conflict in Europe was shaping security risks in Asia.

Rutte said defence partnerships with Australia and other Asian countries were crucial to helping Ukraine, given the support for Russia that is coming from China and North Korea.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte during a news conference at the NATO headquarters in Brussels.

The comments came as Australian officials marked the end of a major deployment by an early warning aircraft that monitored the skies over eastern Europe to help defend NATO airspace.

A NATO spokesperson said the RAAF surveillance aircraft conducted 45 missions and that half of these were done at short notice after alerts were raised to mobilise to monitor airspace.

While officials would not discuss operational matters, a similar Italian surveillance aircraft was deployed over Poland last month when Russian drones flew into Polish airspace and put NATO forces on high alert.

The Italian airborne early warning and control aircraft, known as an AWAC, monitored the airspace while fighter jets shot down some of the drones.

A file photo of an E-7A Wedgetail aircraft.

Australia sent the E-7A Wedgetail to Poland in September under an agreement to base the aircraft at a Polish airfield and integrate its communications systems with the NATO airspace monitoring systems.

Rutte, speaking at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday, said more practical co-operation would be needed to prepare allies in Europe and Asia in dealing with threats.

The NATO Secretary-General argued that Russian President Vladimir Putin relied so heavily on support from Chinese President Xi Jinping that any aggression from China in the Asia-Pacific would lead to Russian moves in Europe.

“We acknowledge that the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific cannot be seen as two separate theatres,” he said.

“They are combined – with North Korea and China supporting Russia’s war effort, and Iran supporting Russia’s war effort.

“And we know that if China will do anything against Taiwan, most likely Putin will be forced by Xi Jinping to move against NATO.

“So we have to stand ready. We have to work together. We have to train together. We have to procure together.”

Rutte said this did not mean drawing Indo-Pacific partners into a mutual defence pact, given that Article 5 of the NATO agreement says an attack on one member is seen as an attack on all.

Instead, he urged stronger co-operation between NATO and its Indo-Pacific partners – Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea. Asked a question by the ABC, he emphasised the value of the Australian contribution with the Wedgetail.

“This practical co-operation is really crucial, and I highly value that relationship with your proud nation,” he said.

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