NATO vs Putin escalates: US-led bloc's member lashes out at Russia-China ties;'growing challenge. . . '

Finland, a NATO member, has publicly accused China of “massively financing Russia’s war chest” and supporting Moscow’s military campaign in Ukraine. Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen stated that China’s assistance has enabled Russia to prolong its war effort, with support including military components, defense industry cooperation, and joint exercises in regions from the Arctic to the Indo-Pacific. Hakkanen called Russia-China collaboration a “growing challenge for NATO,” warning that without Chinese support, Russia could not sustain the conflict for long.