Aiming to weaken US foes, Trump faces an 'unholy alliance'

Washington [US], January 22: During his first term in office, U.S. President Donald Trump applied his particular brand of diplomacy with Washington's adversaries, publicly befriending Russia and North Korea while separately piling pressure on China and Iran.
This time he faces a different kind of challenge: a more united group of U.S. antagonists who have drawn closer following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Trump, who took office Monday, has vowed to end Russia's war in Ukraine, curb Iran's nuclear program and counter China while building up the U.S. military.
But in the past few years, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin have forged a "no-limits partnership," with Beijing giving Russia the economic support it needs to sustain its war in Ukraine.
On Tuesday, Putin and Xi proposed a further deepening of their strategic partnership during a long phone call after Trump was sworn in as U.S. president.
Russia has also signed strategic pacts with North Korea in June 2024 and Iran on Friday.
Source: Fijian Broadcasting Cooperation