Putin Challenges US Led World Order

After the end of World War-II the world became bipolar and divided into two blocks East and West. East Berlin came under the rule of Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR) and the west Berlin came under the rule of US and than cold war politics began in the world. Some countries join the US block and some countries join Soviet block. US and its allies formulated NATO and USSR and its allies formulated WARSA. Although WRASA pact disbanded in 1991 with Soviet dismemberment. But NATO is still a big military alliance in the world.

The new world order came into existence  after the collapse of USSR and with the end of cold war. The world became the unipolar and US became the only superpower and leader of the world in order to lead the new world order. In 2001, the incident of 9/11 has changed the whole scenario of the world. US started its War against Terror and announced that they will target anyone, in anywhere, who threats the US security  and its citizens. Under this US invaded Afghanistan, Iraq, than Libya and  attacked Daesh in Syria without facing any opposition from other countries at United Nation Security Council (UNSC).

The longest period of 30 years were without war among any of the major powers. Though we have seen major diplomatic spot between US and Russia in different years. But they never came closer to war or a situation like the present situation of Ukraine.

After 30 years, now Russia led by President Putin has challenged the new world order in Eastern Europe, by accepting two eastern regions of Ukraine (Donetsk and Lugansk) as a independent region and allow its forces to  invading Ukraine on Feb, 24, 2022. Russian forces are targeting Ukraine’s with air, missiles and ground forces. Despite the repeated call from UN, US, NATO and the rest of the world Russia is not pulling back from its position. Twenty  years after, the special session of the UN General assembly has called to condemn Russian invasion in Ukraine. One-forty-one countries voted in favor of US. Thirty-five  countries including China, India, UAE, Pakistan and many other abstain from voting while  four countries  (Syria, North Korea, Belarus, Eritrea) gave vote in the favor of Russia.

US and west are talking about sanctions on Russia but Russia is talking about war (Nuclear War) as President Putin orders to put its nuclear weapons on high alert. Its been two week, Russia is continuously bombing on Ukraine, killing civilians, destroying military installations and residential places. No doubt Russia is facing tough resistance from Ukraine more than its expectations. Although three rounds of talks held between Russia and Ukraine at Belarusian border but ended without any major conclusion.

Ukrainian President Zelensky is demanding from the west to give Ukraine’s European Union and NATO membership, but NATO and EU are reluctant, neither giving it membership nor rejecting it. On the other side US and NATO categorically announce that they will not directly involve in Russia-Ukraine conflict. President Biden said “in front of us there is no terrorist organization, in front of us there is a nuclear power”.

US and Western powers putting sanctions on Russia will have the same impact on west, as the west’s most of energy needs are fulfilled by the Russian supplies. So, how long they survive while sanctioning Russia. Its clear that Russia is not dependent on west as the west is dependent on Russia. By freezing assets of Russia and Russian  billionaires including oligarch, now they will look into safer place to protect themselves from such kind of sanctions and inconvenience.

By acting aggressively against Ukraine, President Putin wants to weaken NATO and EU, he did not want any presence of NATO forces in Eastern Europe. According to former US National Security Advisor (NSA) Johan Bolton “Putin wants to create its hegemony in the region as well as control over black sea”. Now Russia has challenged the US, NATO and EU by invading Ukraine, its aim might be to reunite USSR and WARSA in the coming years.

US has imposed ban on import of Russian oil and gas, and urging its allies to do same, but western countries are reluctant to do so. US import 8% of oil from Russia but Western countries are importing larger than US. Now President Putin has threatened to cut the supply of gas to Europe. The Russia-Ukraine conflict  already hiked   oil prices across the world. Moscow is repeating   that it will withdraw its troops from Ukraine only, if Ukraine recognizes Crimea as a part of Russia and two eastern regions, Donetsk and Lugansk as independent states, moreover Ukraine make the constitutional amendment that it will not join NATO.

The intense fighting with Russia, Ukraine did not  get  much support from US and west as Zelensky wants from them. It seems Zelensky has disappointed from their support. Now President Zelensky said he is ready to compromise on the breakaway region of Donetsk, Lugansk and Crimea and not pressing for NATO membership.

President Zelensky statement of ready to compromise may be a message to US and NATO that if you are not ready to rescue us or fully support us. Its better to compromise and accept the Russian demands. After fighting alone and not getting support  from the west Ukraine has only option left to compromise and accept the Russian demands for the sake of their survival.

If Ukraine fights for the end without any foreign support or intervention and Russia succeed to fully occupy Ukraine. Than that will be a big blow to US, NATO and EU because of their ill-responsibility and ignorance  towards a state which is long been seeking to become their part but could not achieve its goal, except destruction and huge loss.   One thing is clear that nobody was expecting that the US new world order will be challenged especially by Russia in this fast move.

A recent proposal by Poland to send its Soviet era Mig-29 fighter jets to Ukraine via US bases has rejected by US. US said they do not want to provoke Russia anymore because of a “high risk of Russian reaction”. “Pentagon said it want NATO out the war and considering other ways to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses”. It shows that Russian invasion to Ukraine has limited the US and allies power to prevent a war. Its also raised questions over US diplomatic ability regarding Russian invasion, North Korea’s recent missile tests and reviving of Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal.

Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai tells “The Hindu” that “Ukraine must learn from Afghanistan’s lessons, and not allow big powers to play a proxy war in its country”. Putin’s invasion and nuclear threat forced US and NATO to get away from the conflict. They knowns that if they intervene than it could lead to a third World War. If the third World War starts than it will be nuclear war, which will be different from two previous World Wars. Another thing is the size of Russian economy, its military power, nuclear capabilities and European dependency on Russian energy have strengthen Russia to challenge US led world order.

The US behavior and economic sanctions on Russia and China not only brought these two countries  together but gives way to many other countries like Pakistan, Iran, North Korea  to look into these two states for their future.