If Russia Loses, Don’t Let China Win
June 13, 2023 6:23 pm ET Armored personnel carriers at a Russian weapons storage site, June 8.) Photo: Vadim Savitsky/Zuma Press Walter Russell Mead asks, “What if Putin Loses His War?” (Global View, June 6). A Russian defeat would be a huge boon to China, which would extend its empire to Siberia and Central Asia. Russia has vast, sparsely populated lands rich with natural resources. China has a huge population with limited natural resources. Nature abhors a vacuum, and China will be quick to fill it. The U.S. benefits from a Russian defeat in the short run, but we don’t benefit from Russian instability. We need a Russia that is strong enough to stand up to China, and that means attempting to turn Russia to the West as soon as this war is over. It has an incentive to do so, given that it will otherwise be at China’s mercy. D
Armored personnel carriers at a Russian weapons storage site, June 8.)
Photo: Vadim Savitsky/Zuma Press
Walter Russell Mead asks, “What if Putin Loses His War?” (Global View, June 6). A Russian defeat would be a huge boon to China, which would extend its empire to Siberia and Central Asia. Russia has vast, sparsely populated lands rich with natural resources. China has a huge population with limited natural resources. Nature abhors a vacuum, and China will be quick to fill it. The U.S. benefits from a Russian defeat in the short run, but we don’t benefit from Russian instability. We need a Russia that is strong enough to stand up to China, and that means attempting to turn Russia to the West as soon as this war is over. It has an incentive to do so, given that it will otherwise be at China’s mercy.
David Peterson
Orlando, Fla.
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