QUAD meet: US Secy says Russia's aggression over Ukraine has implications on Indo-Pacific

The threat of Russia's invasion of Ukraine has implications for the Indo-Pacific region, according to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, despite the fact that it is taking place "half a world away." Blinken, while addressing the press conference in Melbourne with his Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) counterparts from India, Australia and Japan, said that Moscow's "dangerous actions" and support from certain nations threaten democratic norms.

He told reporters at a press conference following the negotiations that, "What's at stake is not simply as important as Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty, its independence, but very basic principles established after two world wars and a Cold War."

He further remarked that these principles have helped countries around the world achieve security, peace, and prosperity. Blinken gave several examples, stating that one country cannot simply modify another's borders by force, nor can one country dictate what policies and partners others should have.

"If we allow those principles to be challenged with impunity, even if it's a half the world away in Europe, that will have an impact here (Indo-Pacific) as well," he continued, "Others are watching. Others are looking to all of us to see how we respond."

The QUAD summit on Friday took place at a moment of high geopolitical tension, with Russia maintaining a large military presence along the Ukrainian border and China expanding its regional influence. Russian President Vladimir Putin had just returned from the Olympics in Beijing, where Chinese President Xi Jinping endorsed his requests for security assurances from the West.

Moreover, talking over the free and open Indo-Pacific, the US secretary, Antony Blinken stated that, "Back in Dec, I was Jakarta & I set US' vision for a free & open Indo-Pacific which more than any other region will shape trajectory of 21st century. We talk about a free & open Indo-Pacific a lot. It's worth spending a second on what that actually means for us."

EAM Jaishankar calls QUAD Meet 'Vibrant & Substantial Framework' for Shared Vision

The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) is a vibrant and substantial platform for supporting the shared goal of a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific, according to External Affairs Minister, Dr. S Jaishankar. He also stated that the QUAD will continue to support ASEAN countries in maintaining regional peace, stability, and prosperity. Jaishankar delivered these statements during the fourth QUAD Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Melbourne. Australia hosted the meeting, which aimed to improve cooperation in areas such as security, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Indo-Pacific region.

"Strong bilateral links between our respective countries, strategic convergences, and shared democratic ideals have all combined to make the QUAD a vibrant and substantial framework, as evident by our interactions," Jaishankar stated. 

Further, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, at the press conference, said that the relationship between China and Russia is "concerning," since it doesn't portray or symbolise a global order that fits with those objectives for freedom, openness, sovereignty, and territorial integrity protection. Following New York in 2019, Tokyo in October 2020, and a virtual meeting in February 2021, the QUAD foreign ministers met for the fourth time on Friday. Coronavirus vaccine distribution, technology, and cybersecurity were among the other topics considered.

Image: AP