Taiwan Watches U.S.-Ukraine Rift: Could It Happen Here?

EXPERT INTERVIEW – Almost from the day Russia launched its full-scale war against Ukraine, more than three years ago, officials in China and Taiwan – and experts around the world – have watched the conflict for lessons about modern warfare, and for a sense of how the U.S. would support a smaller democratic nation against a major-power aggressor. For Taiwan, a democratic entity threatened by China, there were obvious parallels in play. And now, in the wake of the Trump Administration’s pivot to Russia and halt to U.S. aid for Ukraine, there are fresh concerns in Taipei about the depth of the American commitment. 

This week Taiwanese Defense Minister Wellington Koo said that the U.S. cannot “retreat” from the Indo-Pacific, as the region is part of its “core national interests.” He made no mention of the U.S. shift away from Ukraine, but stressed that the longstanding U.S.-Taiwan relationship is based on “deterrence and strength to achieve peace.”