The Future: A New World Order or A No World Order

The Russia-Ukraine War

By Askiah Adam

THE WORLD is in flux. For the average observer it’s a confusion tugging their focus every which way. The transition from a unilateral world dominated by the United States, and until recently with allies that pretend even as lap dogs it was better where they are than being elsewhere, namely the Group of Seven (G7) and other miniscule sovereign nations plus the genocidal nation of Israel. Meanwhile, manifesting a global resistance are the BRICS nations - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. So fast growing that it’s threatening the very integrity of the United Nations (UN), the post Second World War global organisation intended to prevent another global conflagration of a similar magnitude. But obviously the current chaos as witnessed by the war in Ukraine, the Gaza Strip where Israel is comfortably executing a genocide with US and European complicity and currently an on-the-brink US/Israel threat of a kinetic war on Iran.

While the collapse of the US dollar and hence its global reserve status may not happen as quickly as the world may wish, the signs are that it is afoot. That Malaysia’s Ringgit had a recent boost up the foreign exchange ladder was a moment of jubilation for us Malaysians, however, it did not, for Malaysia, reflect an improving global economic performance rather it reflected the weakening US dollar. And the recent divestment by China of its massive holding of US bonds left the dollar gasping for air. Who will pay for the liquidation of these bonds? The US debt is now some USD$38 trillion dollars. Servicing the debt comes to a trillion dollars annually. Trump has promised the US military a budget allocation of USD$1.5 trillion for the year. In short, the President is not mindful of the country’s financial predicament, one that will worsen quickly once the currency’s reserve status is smashed, which will be the “next change” schedule of its economic forecast! The US can no longer just print its way to global supremacy and support its overseas military bases and its imperial status. Printing paper money with wild abandon as they have done will lead to inflation thus devaluing the US dollar. Now that the US lender, China, has decided to abandon them to their self-inflicted fate that annual trillion-dollar debt servicing is a noose.

Additionally, that Saudi Arabia has deserted the US and will accept payments for their oil in the Chinese Yuan, for example, removes the petrodollar from the global economic scene, which in turn will stop the US from their reckless money printing. This will necessarily tighten their unlimited access to money which, in turn, will force the closure of their military bases all over the world. That should end the delusional belief that they have the best military might in the world. If this thought is not delusional why has the US not won any war of any significance? And, by the way, the Korean War was not won, it was frozen! And neither was the Second World War which was won by the Soviet Union’s Red Army.

And today, under the presidency of the narcissist, Donald Trump, who thinks history is for him to dictate, truth notwithstanding, he sends armadas to Iranian shores without restraint thinking that the US’ military supremacy is a given, ignoring the open declaration of support for Iran from China and Russia, the country widely recognised by most of the world as holding the enviable position as the world’s military leader with the might of its latest weapon, the Oreshnik, demonstrated in Ukraine last year, a weapon as destructive as nuclear bombs but without the radioactive fallout of nuclear weapons, giving it the utility value always absent from nuclear weapons thus giving the former a more “user-friendly” hue. There is also the hypersonic ballistic missile the Khinzal, Kh-47M2. By the way, hypersonic missiles remain absent from the US arsenal.

Therefore, one wonders why the combined West would continue deluding themselves that they stand a chance of defeating Russia in a frontal violent meet. Granted that to date they have used Ukraine as a proxy and despite the obvious defeat suffered by Ukraine the Europeans are adamantly insisting on continuing the war to the last Ukrainian standing. However, this evil is hampered by objective conditions. After ruining themselves economically the Europeans find themselves unable to arm Ukraine.  They tried to criminally give Ukraine the Russian reserves in their banks that they attempted to steal. The Russians have taken them to court hence short circuiting their attempt to steal.

But the consequences of this thieving has led to the total breakdown in the Global South of the trust that made holding reserves in Western banks a convenience availed widely by weaker sovereign nations. However, more than that we see how Donald Trump has alienated his Western allies too. Reports suggest that Canada has moved its gold bullions from New York to Shanghai of all places, for safekeeping. If true, this demonstrates how far the Euro-Atlantic alliance has cracked. Further, a more recent report suggests that the Germans are not as fortunate. The US has refused them the pleasure of repatriating their gold bullions.

How will this all end? While the multilateral world is looking good to succeed, the insanity that is Donald Trump makes that future uncertain. He has clearly brought the nuclear option forward as a possible choice but Vladimir Putin, the Russian President has repeated his long held position. When questioned by a journalist recently, he said Russia retains its no first strike policy but Russia’s “Dead Hand” remains effective.

Askiah Adam, Assistant Secretary-General, International Movement for a Just World(JUST). Kuala Lumpur. 12 February 2026