“Changing world order” becomes common theme in international relations

(MENAFN) The phrase “changing world order” has become a common theme in international relations, but recent developments have accelerated this shift at an unexpected pace. What is particularly striking is that the United States—the nation that once fiercely defended the liberal global order—is now playing a key role in dismantling it.

Historically, major transformations in global politics have been triggered by crises, such as world wars or internal upheavals. This was the case in 1939-1945 and again in 1989-1991. While these changes often develop gradually, they can reach a tipping point where events rapidly unfold, reshaping the geopolitical landscape. Recent weeks have offered a clear example of this phenomenon.

The long-anticipated decline of unipolarity has arrived sooner than expected. Once the primary enforcer of liberal internationalism, the US is no longer resisting the transition to a multipolar world. Under President Donald Trump, Washington has not only accepted this shift but has actively embraced it.

This change is not just a shift in rhetoric; it marks a fundamental break from the past. In a matter of weeks, the US has moved from defending the liberal global order to seeking dominance within a multipolar system—trading moralistic diplomacy for pragmatic realpolitik. Ironically, this shift could accelerate the very transformation that previous US administrations worked so hard to prevent.

Trump’s new foreign policy approach carries significant and lasting consequences:

1.Multipolarity is now a reality. The US is no longer enforcing a unipolar system but instead positioning itself as one of several major powers—alongside China, Russia, and India—each advancing its own strategic interests. Washington now sees global cooperation not as a matter of shared values, but of shared necessity, a perspective that aligns with Moscow’s long-standing worldview.

2.US foreign policy is now driven by interests, not ideology. Trump has distanced himself from the liberal interventionist model, cutting funding for democracy promotion and prioritizing deals over ideological commitments. This marks a departure from the moralistic approach of past administrations and brings the US closer to Russia’s pragmatic style of diplomacy.


3.The traditional “collective West” is fractured. The liberal transatlantic alliance that once defined Western politics no longer exists in its previous form. The US, under Trump, has stepped back from globalist commitments, prioritizing national interest over ideological unity. As a result, the Western world is now divided between nationalist governments, like Trump’s, and the more traditional liberal leadership in Brussels, Paris, and Berlin.

Ultimately, this shift signals the end of an era. The US has abandoned its role as the guardian of liberal globalism and entered an era of great power rivalry. The question now is not whether the world will become multipolar—it already is—but how this new reality will shape the future balance of power.

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