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Biden administration officials began developing the guidance
this summer. It was shaped to be a document that could help the
next administration build its approach from day one on how it
will go about dealing with the tightening relationships between
the United States' most prominent adversaries and competitors,
according to two senior administration officials.
The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity under
ground rules set by the White House, said the classified
memorandum would not be made public because of the sensitivity
of some of its findings.
The document includes four broad recommendations: improving U.S.
government interagency cooperation, speeding up the sharing of
information with allies about the four adversaries, calibrating
the U.S. government's use of sanctions and other economic tools
for maximum effectiveness, and bolstering preparation to manage
simultaneous crises involving the adversaries.
The U.S. for many years has been concerned about cooperation
among the four countries. Coordination has accelerated between
the countries in the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine
in 2022.
The officials noted that as Russia has become more isolated by
much of the world, Moscow has turned to Iran for drones and
missiles. From North Korea, the Russians have received
artillery, missiles and even thousands of troops that have
traveled to help the Russians try to repel Ukrainian forces from
the Kursk region. China, meanwhile, has supported Russia with
dual use components that help keep its military industrial base
afloat.
In return, Russia has sent fighter jets to Iran and assisted
Tehran as it looks to bolster its missile defense and space
technology.
North Korea has received from Russia much-needed fuel and
funding to help build out its manufacturing and military
capabilities. The officials added that Russia has de facto
accepted North Korea as a nuclear weapon state.
China, meanwhile, is benefiting from Russian know-how, with the
two countries working together to deepen their military
technical cooperation. The two nations are also conducting joint
patrols in the Arctic region.
Biden and President-elect Donald Trump have sharply different
worldviews, but officials in both the incoming and outgoing
administrations said they have sought to coordinate on national
security issues during the transition.
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