Return “Axis Evil”? How do Iran, China and North Korea drive the Russian war machine?

Speaking before the 2002 U.S. Congress, president George W. Bush warned against the “Axis of Evil” which would endanger America and global security. Bush ranked as Axis Evil 3 countries: North Korea, Iraq Saddam Hussein, and – ruled by the Ayatollahs – Iran.

20 years later, the concept of “Axi Evil” returns, although somewhat in a different format.

When Russian armored columns began entering Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the thought “Axi Evil” gained a second life and returned to political debate for good. Republican Congressmen and any global affairs experts began to talk about the uprising of “New Axis of Evil” which not only attacked Ukraine, but – above all – challenged American hegemony and – centered around America – Western states.

The administration of president Biden avoids referring to the concept of “New Axis of Evil”, but the most crucial representatives of the Republican organization have been popularizing it for months. Among another things, Republican leader Mitch McConnell and 1 of Donald Trump's main counter-candidates in the fight for the Republican Party's appointment as president of the United States, Nikki Haley, are talking about “New Axis of Evil”. The concept of “New Axis of Evil” was besides picked up by the American press, among others, the opinionative Wall Street Journal.

Members of the reborn fresh “Axi Evil” include China, Russia, Iran and North Korea. Russia is in this key arrangement due to the fact that it is the 1 who is fighting a war against Ukraine. However, the longer this war continues, the more Russia's ability to conduct it depends on economical and military aid received from China, Iran and North Korea. It is these countries that drive the Russian war machine.

How do Beijing, Tehran and Pyongyang support Russia in the war on Ukraine? What do they want in return? Is the “New Axis of Evil” connected by a deep community of interests, or is this cooperation primarily tactical and short-term? Welcome to the '20s Report.

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