Putin and Xi Jinping Meet in China — On The Changing World Order

As state leaders Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping meet in China, to discuss Russia’s war in Ukraine, and more, western allies continue to reflect on the Ukraine Peace Summit in Switzerland held over the last weekend from 15–16 June 2024.

Delegations from around 100 countries and organisations, including 57 heads of state and government, met there showing, at least, a willingness to find a resolution to the conflict due to global ramifications.

We are entering a new world order. After the Cold War, the U.S. with its allies made grievous mistakes in the Middle East (arguments can be made for unfortunate interventions in the Balkans in the 1990s as well) and elsewhere.

From the ashes of U.S. hegemony in the 1990s and early 2000s came Russian, Chinese, Iranian, North Korean, and other calls for a decoupling from the West and its allies.

Putin and Xi Jinping especially seek to undermine the West with their imperialistic visions. Putin’s hypocrisy is especially potent as he continues to seek to erase Ukraine as an independent country.

Let me explain.

Photo by Christian Lue on Unsplash

First, it’s important to note that Russo-Chinese relationship is based in some history, namely shared ideological visions on communist supremacy over liberal democracy in…