NATO Chief's Theory: Could Putin and Xi Spark a New Global Conflict?

China has long had its eyes on Taiwan. If Xi Jinping decides to target the island, NATO Chief Mark Rutte believes he would first call Putin and ask him to keep NATO occupied through a Russian attack.

"That's likely how it will go," Rutte tells the NYT.

China views the self-governing and democratic Taiwan as part of its territory. President Xi Jinping has repeatedly spoken about reclaiming control over Taiwan and has increased military activities around the island.

Meanwhile, much of the Western world has expressed strong support for Taiwan. Xi Jinping has observed how Russia has been affected by global sanctions following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

NATO Chief: How It Could Happen

NATO Chief Mark Rutte believes Xi Jinping will try to leverage his good relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin if he decides to invade Taiwan.

In an interview with the New York Times, he presents a clear theory on how the Chinese president might act.

"If Xi Jinping plans to attack Taiwan, he would first call his subordinate partner in this context, Vladimir Putin, and say 'I'm going to do this, you need to keep them busy in Europe,'" says Rutte.

He believes Xi will ask Putin to attack NATO territory in Europe to keep the defense alliance occupied while the battles in Taiwan unfold, potentially sparking a new global war.

Continues to Praise Trump

In the interview, Rutte highlights this scenario as a reason why he is convinced that Donald Trump—despite Europe's concerns—will remain invested in NATO.

"To deter them, we must do two things: NATO must be strong enough together that the Russians never dare to act. Secondly, we must cooperate in the Indo-Pacific region, which President Trump advocates," Rutte tells the NYT.

He also expresses gratitude for Trump's tough stance on NATO, which has led to the alliance increasing its minimum defense spending requirement from two to five percent of GDP.

"His style may be a bit harsh, but without that style and his tough approach, I don't think we would have seen this decision," Rutte tells the NYT.