CRINK (China, Russia, Iran and North Korea), theaxis of upheaval,[1][2][3]axis of autocracies,[4][5][6]quartet of chaos,[7][8][9] or thedeadly quartet,[10] is the grouping ofChina,Russia,Iran andNorth Korea and the growinganti-Western collaboration between these generally recognizedautocratic states, beginning in the early 2020s.[11]
The loose alliance generally represented itself in diplomatic addresses and public statements as an "anti-hegemony" and "anti-imperialist" coalition with intentions to challenge what it deemed to be a Western-dominatedglobal order to reshape international relations into a multipolar order according to their shared interests. While not a formal bloc, these nations have increasingly coordinated their economic, military, and diplomatic efforts, making strong efforts to aid each other to undermine Western influence.[1]
Together, the members of CRINK possess around 18% of theworld's proven oil reserves, 19% of theworld's nominal GDP, 20% of theworld's population and more than 51% of currentglobal nuclear warheads.[citation needed]
At the 2023Halifax International Security Forum on November 17, 2023,[11][12][13] presidentPeter Van Praagh introduced the acronym "CRINK" during his opening remarks:
Isolating Russia from the international community brought the other authoritarians to Putin's aid. Now China and Russia and Iran and North Korea, we are calling them the CRINKs, are working to dismantle the global order.
— Peter Van Praagh, 2023[14]
According toPolitico, a wide range of Axis-related concerns were shared by Forum participants and remained a central theme throughout the event.[15][16] The term was further used in the forum, with two of its plenary sessions being titled "Victory in Ukraine = Message to the CRINKs"[15] and "Never Mind theBRICS, Here's the CRINKs".[17]
After the 2023 Forum, the term "CRINK" was picked up by international media outlets.[13][12][18] It has been adopted internationally by news outlets in Chile,[19] Germany,[20] France,[21] Italy,[22] Poland,[23] Switzerland,[24] Spain,[25] and Belgium.[26] The term "CRINK" has also been mentioned in reports concerning the Russian invasion of Ukraine[12] and theMiddle Eastern crisis,[11] and is widely used in discussions regarding the rise ofanti-Western sentiment.[27]
The termAxis of Upheaval was coined in the April 2024 article "The Axis of Upheaval", written by foreign policy analystsRichard Fontaine and Andrea Kendall-Taylor for theForeign Affairs magazine, as part of theCenter for a New American SecurityUnited States-basednational securitythink tank.[1] The term has been used by many foreign policy analysts,[1][2][3] military officials,[10][28] and international groups.[29] Fontaine picked the phrase due to it representing the group of nations' shared disdain for and desire to uproot Western influence and values without using language that was "too overbearing", such as with the terms "Axis of Evil",President Bush's 2002 phrase referring to Iran,Iraq and North Korea;[11][30][31] or "axis ofautocracy".[10]
Among more neutral terminology,NATO policy planning headBenedetta Berti expressed that she preferred to use the phrase "strategic convergence" instead of "axis" when describing the coalition of nations.[10] On the other hand, the US think tankInstitute for the Study of War has described the grouping since June 2025 as an "Adversary Entente".[32]
The roots of cooperation among the nations stretch back decades during the onset of the Cold War, based on the divide between theFirst World andSecond World. TheSoviet Union represented the leadsuperpower of the latter, providing assistance to and sharing communist, anti-Western philosophies with the People's Republic of China and North Korea.[1]
While these nations have generally remained on neutral or good terms since thedissolution of the Soviet Union, their alliance intensified significantly following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Foreign policy analyst Andrea Kendall-Taylor stated that it seemed thatRussian PresidentVladimir Putin misjudged the level of "extraordinary" Western coordination between the United States, Europe, and other West-friendly countries oneconomic sanctions andmilitary aid to Ukraine. She also expressed that the West's hardline and absolute response inadvertently served as a catalyst for Russia to accelerate pushing for closer economic and diplomatic ties with nations at odds with Western nations, due to it seemingly marking a "point of no return" for Russian–Western relations that increased Putin's determination to move past them.[1][33]
In 2021,Clifford May described Russia, China and Iran asneo-imperialist powers who "seek to restore what they consider their rightful realms, and all see the U.S. as their biggest obstacle. It's on this basis that they now have a flourishing alliance".[34] DiscussingRussian neo-imperialism in Ukraine,Orlando Figes wrote in 2022 that "we can see a new type of empire arising in Eurasia, uniting countries with historic grievances against the West". He said that "ideas of a nationalist, socially conservative, anti-Western and religious character ... underpin dictatorships in Russia, China, and Iran".[35]
While CRINK is not a formal union or alliance, it is generally united by a shared opposition to what it callsU.S. hegemony and the Western-led international order. The countries have dramatically increased their economic and military cooperation while coordinating their diplomatic, information, and security efforts, operating as a loose coalition of like-minded states in resistance to economic or ideological pressure from Western nations.[1] Collectively and individually, the CRINK members, are globally known for their countries' authoritarian leadership, their opposition to the West[11] and involvement in military conflicts.[36] The countries have no formal alliance, but are seemingly united by common interests akin to the motto of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend."[37]
The motivations driving the loose alliance are multi-faceted, but are primarily centered on a desire for greater regional influence and control away from Western powers' imperialism. The members reject Western-defineduniversal values and the "championing of its brand of democracy as an attempt to undermine their legitimacy and foment domestic instability". They view U.S. presence in their regions of influence as a threat to their interests and sovereignty, stating that they should hold the right to instate democracy based on their own institutions and culture instead of being forcibly shaped by Western principles. Collectively, they represent themselves as anti-imperialists sharing the goal of creating amultipolar world order that diminishes U.S. global dominance, which includes resisting "external meddling in their internal affairs, theexpansion of U.S. alliances, the stationing ofAmerican nuclear weapons abroad, and the use of coercive sanctions".[33]
All four states have been described as autocratic or authoritarian with extensive state propaganda campaigns,[38][39][40][41] while Russia, Iran, China and Turkey have also been described as seeking to challenge the post-1945 world order.[40] In addition, North Korea is one of the few remaining personalist dictatorships, as well as the oldest surviving dictatorship in the world,[42] with a pervasivecult of personality.[43]
Economic ties among the CRINK members have strengthened considerably; following an early 2022 signing of a joint agreement between General Secretary of the Chinese Communist PartyXi Jinping and Vladimir Putin establishing a "no-limits partnership",[22] China has become Russia's largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching record levels in 2023 and 2024. In 2023, trade between Russia and China exceeded US$240 billion, with Russia replacingSaudi Arabia's petroleum trade as China's largest petroleum source. Iran and Russia have agreed to conduct trade in each other's national currencies to reduce each other's dependency on the U.S. dollar in international transactions. China has also increased its purchases ofRussian oil and natural gas, providing crucial economic support in the face of pressure generated by wide-sweeping Western sanctions. Many of these trade agreements, alternative networks, and transactions across shared borders appeared to be set in place specifically in order to circumvent Western sanctions and trade restrictions.[1][33]
For Iran, exports from Russia increased by 27% from January to October 2022.[33] Russia also defiedUnited Nations Security Council sanctions by unfreezing North Korean assets worth several millions in USD.[1]
Military collaboration has also intensified between the four states, with Iran providing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), such asShahed drones, to Russia for use inUkraine.[41] From the beginning of Russia's invasion to the end of April 2024, Russia used ~3,700 drones designed by Iran in combat, and expressed plans to collaborate with Iran on constructing a Russian drone factory. Russia reciprocated the military assistance by granting Iran new air defense, intelligence and surveillance capabilities, modern aircraft, and cyber abilities. Russia has also provided Iran andIranian proxies such asHezbollah with more weapons, especially following the onset of the2023 Israel–Hezbollah conflict.[1][33]
While China has publicly avoided transferring weapons to Russia, it has been exporting over US$300 million in dual-use items that can be used both by civilians and in the military if shipped components are put together or adapted for military use. Dual-use items exported to Russia from China include microchips, jamming equipment, telecommunications equipment, jet plane parts, sensors and radar, and machine tools, each of which helped to sustain its war effort and avert shortages caused by Western sanctions.[44] From 2018 to 2022, Russia supplied 83% of China's military arms imports. China's exports to Russia contributed to half of its growing supply of computer microchips and components, reaching levels close to where they were prior to the invasion.[33]
North Korea has supplied Russia with roughly 2.5 million ammunition rounds and ballistic missiles.[1] In October 2024, it was revealed that North Korea started sending troops to Russia to support its war in Ukraine.[45] The four nations have also engaged in various kinds of joint military exercises, including naval exercises between China, Iran, and Russia in theGulf of Oman over the past three years, and Russian-proposed naval exercises between it, North Korea, and China.[1]
Diplomatic coordination among the CRINK members has become increasingly apparent, with each nation offering mutual support in international forums such as theUnited Nations. Russia and China have made efforts to legitimize Iran by including it in organizations such as BRICS and theShanghai Cooperation Organization. Their coordinated messaging on global issues frequently stood directly in opposition to Western and United States-led interpretations of world events, with a "shared purpose of overturning the principles, rules, and institutions that underlie the prevailing international system".[1]
In addition, Iran has conducted military drills with theCollective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), further solidifying its strategic partnerships in the region. Furthermore, the establishment of free trade agreements between Iran and theEurasian Economic Union has enhanced economic ties, allowing for deeper integration within the regional framework.
Russia has defended Hezbollah and other proxies of Iran during UN Security Council debates. Likewise, China has publicly released statements and made stances during international debates blamingNATO interference in Ukraine for starting the war. In addition, Russia, Iran, and China used their state media and social media to supportHamas, to justify actions taken by them, and to criticizeIsrael and the US following the October 2023 attack for their hypocritical roles inmass civilian attacks andhumanitarian crises in the Gaza Strip.[33][failed verification][46]
| Flag | Country | Capital | Area (km2) | Population (2025) | Density (/km2) | GDP per cap. (PPP)[47] | HDI[48] | Currency | Official languages |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Russia Russian Federation (RF) | Moscow | 17,075,400 | 146,028,325 | 8.4 | 49,383 | 0.832 | Russian rouble (₽) (RUB) | Russian also seeLanguages of Russia |
 | China People's Republic of China (PRC) | Beijing | 9,640,011[a] | 1,408,280,000 | 147 | 28,978 | 0.797 | Renminbi (Chinese yuan,¥) (CNY) | Standard Chinese[50] written insimplified characters[50] see alsolanguages of China |
 | Iran Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) | Tehran | 1,648,195 | 92,417,681 | 52 | 19,957 | 0.799 | Iranian rial (Rl) (IRR) | Persian |
 | North Korea Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) | Pyongyang | 120,538 | 26,298,666 | 212 | 1,800 | 0.247 | North Korean won (₩) (KPW) | Korean |
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The rapid development of CRINK worked to undermine the effectiveness of Western sanctions and export controls such as those against Russia, eroded U.S. military advantages in key regions including the Middle East, and presented increased challenges to international norms and institutions. Moreover, the axis's actions have emboldened other anti-Western states and actors, contributing to a more unstable global environment.[1]
Foreign policy analyst Andrea Kendall-Taylor believed that the resulting influence of the axis of nations is pushing transformation of the current "international system" into one characterized by two increasingly organized orders with opposing values and regional interests, a shift she predicted is likely to give rise to greater global instability and initiation of conflict. She noted several instances of increasing worldwide conflict related to the coalition's cooperation. These included increased regional conflicts such as Azerbaijan's renewedinvasion andreintegration ofNagorno-Karabakh,threats toGuyana fromVenezuela, increasing tension betweenKosovo andSerbia, and an increase in coups in several African nations. She predicted that opportunistic aggression, such as Russia attacking Europe while the United States is involved in a war against China, could be a future driver of worldwide conflict.[33]
American diplomat and historianPhilip Zelikow stated that the new "Axis" represented the third time in recent history that the United States faced a "purposeful set of powerful adversaries in a rapidly changing and militarized period of history, short of all-out war."[51] The prior instances included theAxis Powers ofFascist Italy,Nazi Germany, andImperial Japan from 1937 to 1941, and the beginning of the Cold War against the Soviet Union and China from 1948 to 1962. He analyzed that the leaders of the current Axis of Upheaval share characteristics with leaders of these earlier periods such asAdolf Hitler,Joseph Stalin, andMao Zedong; viewing themselves as historical figures operating in isolated environments separate from dissenting views and pressures. He stated that this isolation shared by the four nations' leaders can lead to decisions that may seem irrational to outside observers, with autocratic state propaganda further censoring dissenting viewpoints while characterizing other international orders as existential threats to them and their culture that requires conflict and sacrifice to repel.[3]
Despite their growing cooperation, historical distrust from prior events exist, such as the Soviet Union's1941 invasion of Iran, China's apprehension to North Korea's militant aggression, and aborder dispute between Russia and China that ended in 2004. Current competing interests between the nations include disputes between Russia and China over control in Central Asia and competition between Iran and Russia for Asian oil markets. Furthermore, the axis does not seem to have a coherent positive vision for a new global order, and its members remain economically interdependent with the West to varying degrees, making direct opposition to ultimatums issued more difficult to justify. Despite this, political scientistHal Brands remarked that their alliance forged from their mutual disdain for the "existing order" resembled many of history's "most destructive alliances", which were made from rough agreements to band together against a greater opposing order or alliance with "little coordination and even less affection".[1]
Stimson Center senior fellow Kelly Grieco argued that "the Axis of Upheaval was always more Washington's imagination than reality". She said that while the four countries had a common adversary, "these countries share limited interests and the political cohesion among them as a grouping is weak".[52]
In response to this emerging threat, Western nations, led by the United States, have increased their focus on countering the collective challenge posed by the axis, which involved efforts to strengthen existing alliances and partnerships. In 2024, NATO reaffirmed its security commitments in unstable regions such as in Southeast Asia, and called for increased defense spending and diplomatic engagement to match increased cooperation from potentially destabilizing unions.[1] However, rising populism and political polarization in the European Union and the United States threaten to undermine unity in the alliance.[53]
Foreign policy analyst Andrea Kendall-Taylor argued that defeating Russia in Ukraine would be crucial to weakening the nations' ability to cause destabilization. She also believed that the US should not de-prioritize Russian aggression towards Ukraine and Europe while primarily focusing on China's South China Sea dispute due to both conflicts being connected. She stated that Europe needed to develop a stronger military and push for a greater emphasis on foreign policy so that the U.S. could address different global conflicts evenly without its resources and attention being stretched too thin.[33] General Sir Roly Walker corroborated these statements, stating that the United Kingdom needed to "double the lethality of its army" in three years to prepare for conflict with the CRINK nations.[28]
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