Contours of a New International Order: The Conceptual Analysis of Emerging Trends in Contemporary Geopolitics
Choose format
RIS BIB ENDNOTEPublication date: 15.12.2025
Wschodnioznawstwo (Eastern Studies), 2025, Volume 19, pp. 255-279
https://doi.org/10.4467/20827695WSC.25.015.22828Authors
Contours of a New International Order: The Conceptual Analysis of Emerging Trends in Contemporary Geopolitics
Since the end of the Cold War, a unipolar world order has emerged, characterized by the dominance of the Western world, particularly the United States in political, economic, and military spheres, positioning it as the central actor in shaping global norms, international institutions, and security architectures. By the onset of the war in Ukraine, Western leadership remained robust. However, the outbreak of the conflict exposed emerging counter‑hegemonic dynamics, as states such as Russia, Iran, China, and, to a certain extent, Turkey began to consolidate their strategic efforts to challenge the liberal international order. This alignment reflects not merely pragmatic cooperation but also deeper ideological and civilizational undercurrents. The geopolitical projects advanced by this conservative bloc are also expressions of alternative civilizational logics rooted in distinct historical narratives and strategic cultures. Using a qualitative methodology to shape a conceptual analysis of emerging trends in modern geopolitics, the paper concludes that while multipolar aspirations and counter‑hegemonic processes are increasingly visible, the durability of these alignments – whether situational or truly strategic – will largely depend on how states articulate and recalibrate their national interests amidst an era of unprecedented geopolitical turbulence.
Acharya, A., After liberal hegemony: The advent of a multiplex world order, „Ethics & International Affairs” 2017, no. 3.
Adler, D., The west v Russia: why the global south isn’t taking sides, Support the Guardian [28 III 2022], https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/mar/10/russia-ukraine-west-global-south-sanctions-war.
Alonso-Trabanco, J.M., A World Remade? Lessons from the Ukraine War-Analysis, Eurasia Review [1 IV 2022], https://www.eurasiareview.com/01042022-a-world-remade-lessons-from-the-ukraine-war-analysis/.
Aris, B., The ruble overtakes the yuan as Russia’s main currency for settling international trade deals [9 IV 2024], https://www.intellinews.com/the-ruble-overtakes-the-yuan-as-russia-s-main-currency-for-settling-international-trade-deals-320261/.
Atalan, A., What Role Can Turkey Play in Ukraine Negotiations?, Center for Strategic & International Studies [12 XII 2024], https://www.csis.org/analysis/what-role-can-turkey-play-ukraine-negotiations (6 V 2025).
Bazavlyk, S.V., Criticism of Eurasianism and Neo-Eurasianism, „Post-Soviet Studies” 2018, no. 8.
Bennett, B., Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine is a Major Test for Joe Biden’s Foreign Policy Vision [24 II 2022], https://time.com/6151085/joe-biden-russia-ukraine-foreign-policy/.
Beyer, S. & Molnar, G., Accelerating energy diversification in Central and Eastern Europe [14 IX 2022], https://www.iea.org/commentaries/accelerating-energy-diversification-in-central-and-eastern-europe.
Borrel, J., Why European strategic autonomy matters [3 XII 2020], https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/why-european-strategic-autonomy-matters_en.
Brazil hosts BRICS Summit; Russia’s Putin, China’s Xi skip Rio Trip [6 VII 2025], https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/6/brazil-hosts-brics-summit-russias-putin-chinas-xi-skip-rio-trip.
Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of 10.01.2000 N 24 „On the Concept of National Security of the Russian Federation”, https://legalacts.ru/doc/ukaz-prezidenta-rf-ot-10012000-n-24/.
Demertzis, M., Hilgenstock, B., McWilliams, B., Ribakova, E. & Tagliapietra, S., How have sanctions impacted Russia?, https://www.bruegel.org/policy-brief/how-have-sanctions-impacted-russia.
European Commission, EU Assistance to Ukraine, https://commission.europa.eu/topics/eu-solidarity-ukraine/eu-assistance-ukraine_en.
European Commission, REPowerEU, https://commission.europa.eu/topics/energy/repowereu_en.
Grajewski, G., Iran One Step Closer to SCO Membership, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy [14 IX 2022], https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/iran-one-step-closer-sco-membership.
Huntington, S., The clash of civilizations and the remaking of world order, New York 1996.
Ikenberry, G.J., The Future of the Liberal World Order, „Foreign Affairs Journal” 2011, no. 3.
Interview of H.E. Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs [24 II 2025], https://www.mfa.gov.tr/sayin-bakanimizin-bloomberg-tv-mulakati-24-subat-2025.en.mfa.
Kee, K.K., A Community with Shared Future: China’s Vision of the New Global Order [27 I 2021], https://icsf.cuc.edu.cn/en/2021/0127/c6316a178008/page.htm.
Klump, S.D., Russian Eurasianism: An Ideology of Empire, Wilson Center [7 VII 2011], https://www.wilsoncenter.org/publication/russian-eurasianism-ideology-empire.
Kroenig, M., The Return of Great Power Rivalry: Democracy versus Autocracy from the ancient world to the U.S. and China, Oxford 2020.
Osinskiy, I.I., Formation of Eurasianism, Eurasianism and World, https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/stanovlenie-evraziystva/viewer.
Reyes, R., Beijing cannot allow Russia to lose Ukraine war because it wants America distracted, top Chinese diplomat told EU: report, New York Post [3 VII 2025], https://nypost.com/2025/07/03/world-news/china-cannot-allow-russia-to-lose-ukraine-war-foreign-minister-tells-eu-report/.
Sakwa, R., Russia against the rest: The post-cold war crisis of world order, Cambridge 2017.
Sariolghalam, M., Iran’s Playbook in the Arab World: Ideology or domestic policies?, Middle East Institute [24 X 2022], https://www.mei.edu/publications/irans-playbook-arab-world-ideology-or-domestic-politics.
Sharpe, K.B., Turkey’s Ukraine policy: playing all sides [18 III 2022], https://www.balcanicaucaso.org/eng/Areas/Turkey/Turkey-s-Ukraine-policy-playing-all-sides-216873.
The State Council Information Office. The People’s Republic of China, Full Text: A Global Community of Shared Future: China’s Proposals and Actions [26 IX 2023], http://english.scio.gov.cn/whitepapers/2023-09/26/content_116710660_5.htm (19 VI 2025).
Tortolini, A., The Defence of National Identity As A Revolutionary Concept: Gharbzadigi, Islamic Modernisation and Anticolonialism, Brill [17 XII 2020], https://brill.com/view/journals/ijia/1/1/article-p91_6.xml.
Tsygankov, A., Routledge Handbook of Russian Foreign Policy, London 2018.
Tüysüzoğlu, G., Strategic Depth: A Neo-Ottomanist Interpretation of Turkish Eurasianism, „Mediterraean Quarterly” 2014, no. 2.
UK Cabinet Office, Global Britain in a Competitive Age: the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy [16 III 2021], https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/global-britain-in-a-competitive-age-the-integrated-review-of-security-defence-development-and-foreign-policy.
Umland, A., Double-headed Ukraine, „Krytyka” 2015, no. 7-8.
Veron, N. & Kirschenbaum, J., War in Europe: Financial Front, Bruegel Blog [7 III 2022], https://www.bruegel.org/blog-post/war-europe-financial-front (12 VI 2025).
Vladimirov, M., Turkstream gas pipeline could slow EU, Russia decoupling [7 V 2025], https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/turkstream-gas-pipeline-could-slow-eu-russia-decoupling-vladimirov-2025-05-07/.
Wallace-Wells, B., The Ukraine Transparency Initiative [18 II 2022], https://www.newyorker.com/news/annals-of-inquiry/the-ukraine-transparency-initiative.
Walt, S.M., The Origins of Alliances, Ithaca 1987.
Walter, J.D., Did NATO expansion drive Russia to war? [25 VI 2025], https://www.dw.com/en/nato-expansion-east-russia-putin-ukraine/a-73030670.
Waltz, K., Theory of International Politics, Reading 1979.
Wastnidge, E., The Modalities of Iranian Soft Power: From Cultural Diplomacy to Soft War. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/270052702_The_Modalities_of_Iranian_Soft_Power_From_Cultural_Diplomacy_to_Soft_War.
We are moving to a multipolar world with three great powers, https://valdaiclub.com/multimedia/video/john-mearsheimer-we-are-moving-to-a-multipolar-world-with-three-great-powers/ (22 VI 2025).
Yavuz, M.H., Social and Intellectual Origins of Neo-Ottomanism: Searching for a Post-National Vision, „Die Welt des Islams” 2016, no. 3.
Yavuz, M.H., The motives behind the AKP’s foreign policy: neo-Ottomanism and strategic autonomy, „Turkish Studies” 2022, no. 1.
Information: Wschodnioznawstwo (Eastern Studies), 2025, Volume 19, pp. 255-279
Article type: Original scientific article
Titles:
Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University
Georgia
Published at: 15.12.2025
Article status: Open
Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0
Percentage share of authors:
Article corrections:
-Publication languages:
EnglishView count: 587
Number of downloads: 1047