As Russian President Vladimir Putin watched the final stage of the massive Tsentr-2026 military exercise in the Urals recently, Chinese troops were training alongside forces from Russia, Belarus and other countries. More than 47,000 military personnel joined the exercise, which incorporated lessons from the war in Ukraine.
The symbolism extends beyond Chelyabinsk. From Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to Chinese military exercises with Belarus – and now China’s participation alongside Russian and Belarusian forces in Tsentr-2026 – Eurasian developments are connecting two strategic theatres once considered largely separate: the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific.
Against this background, a new strategic triangle is quietly taking shape among the United States, Japan and Poland.