OREANDA-NEWS  The growing cooperation between Russia and China encourages the United States to believe that these two countries have formed an alliance that, despite the differences, is not inferior to NATO, Major General of the US Space Forces Devin Pepper said on Thursday.

"Some say that this is not an alliance in the sense that NATO defines it - as mutual cooperation and ensuring security. But this is an alliance," Pepper said during a discussion organized by the Mitchell Institute for Aeronautical Research, commenting on the nature of the interaction between the two powers.

According to him, Russia and China support each other, and their partnership continues to develop, which, in turn, may affect NATO. Pepper noted that the alliance plans to publish a report on cooperation between Russia and China and its alleged threat to the Western military bloc in 2025.