A hypothetical summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska serves as a compelling lens through which to examine the fundamental transformation of global power dynamics, as the post-war international order faces unprecedented challenges from resurgent superpower competition.
The scenario of the two leaders meeting at Elmendorf-Richardson airbase - notably without Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky - illustrates how the world may be reverting to an era where superpowers carve up spheres of influence. According to The i Paper, one Western envoy warns that the international system is being replaced by something "crudely based on the ability to flex muscle" - conventional military, nuclear, economic and technological power.
America's dominant yet retreating position
Despite maintaining unparalleled global dominance, the United States appears to be stepping back from seven decades of international leadership. America accounts for more than a quarter of global GDP and spends over $900 billion annually on defence - almost double China's military budget according to The i Paper's analysis.
Yet Trump's administration has retreated from international institutions from NATO to the World Health Organisation. Leslie Vinjamuri from Chatham House tells The i Paper that "the US has begun to substitute nationalism for globalism, replace multilateralism with unilateralism, and abandon essential components of its soft power."
The chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan and drastic cuts to foreign aid signal Washington's retreat from "Pax Americana". Trump's unpredictable approach towards allies has created what The i Paper describes as "a new consensus that the US may be a necessary ally but not a reliable one."
Russia's strategic muscle-flexing
Despite ranking only 11th globally economically and 53rd in income per capita - below Croatia and Poland - Russia has successfully leveraged fossil fuels and military aggression to punch above its weight internationally, The i Paper reports.
Moscow's economy grew faster than all G7 countries last year by redirecting oil exports from Europe to China, India and Brazil. The Kremlin has maximised influence through proxy forces like the Wagner Group across Africa and the Middle East, maintaining strategic footholds even after setbacks.
Russia's 5,500 nuclear warheads, including 1,900 tactical weapons, provide potent geopolitical leverage. Philip Bednarczyk from the German Marshall Fund tells The i Paper that "Russia is to this day able to sabre-rattle its way to the negotiating table."
China's comprehensive challenge
Beijing represents the most systematic threat to American dominance, with Xi Jinping declaring in 2021 that the US represents the "biggest threat" to China's security, according to The i Paper's analysis. Chinese scientists now produce more research papers than anywhere else, while China has overtaken America to field the world's largest navy with 234 warships compared to Washington's 219.
The Belt and Road Initiative has invested £800 billion across 139 countries, supplanting Western influence across the developing world. Atlantic Council research cited by The i Paper suggests 65% of strategists expect China to invade Taiwan by 2035, while 45% predict Russia-NATO conflict within the same timeframe.
New world order emerging
A majority of experts believe Russia and China will form a formal alliance with North Korea and Iran by 2035, effectively dividing the world into Washington and Beijing-aligned blocs. As one Western diplomat warns in The i Paper: "America is losing influence, Russia is agitating for it and China knows it has an opportunity to run the show."
Sources used: "The i Paper"
Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
