The Regional Security Environment: Northeast Asia and Mongolia

The author investigates the rapidly evolving system of international security, particularly in the Eurasian space, where competition among leading centers of power is intensifying. Mongolia’s geopolitical position between Russia and China objectively places it within the strategic core of Eurasia, consistent with the provisions of H. Mackinder’s geopolitical concept. Northeast Asia continues to remain a region of heightened tension: unresolved territorial disputes, the development of the DPRK’s nuclear program, an escalating arms race, and the weakening of traditional deterrence mechanisms create persistent risks of escalation. Amid an increasingly complex regional environment, Mongolia consistently adheres to a policy of neutrality, pursues the third neighbor course, and promotes multilateral dialogue mechanisms, with the Ulaanbaatar Dialogue on Security Issues serving as a key platform. Despite the intensification of diplomatic initiatives, the growing militarization of the region and the persistence of a high conflict potential significantly limit Mongolia’s ability to exert meaningful influence on the architecture of regional security. As a result, Northeast Asia remains one of the most unpredictable and militarized regions in the contemporary world.