A geopolitical earthquake is underway, and its epicenter was the recent SCO summit. The image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Xi Jinping, and President Vladimir Putin standing shoulder-to-shoulder has been identified by US commentators as a terrifying sign of a new global power structure that excludes, and even opposes, the United States.
American analyst Van Jones gave voice to these fears, calling the leaders’ meeting a “historically big deal.” He argued that the sight of these three formidable leaders, representing a huge swath of the world’s population and economy, should serve as a wake-up call for America. It is a visual representation of a world that is organizing itself without US leadership.
The backdrop to this summit is a global economic landscape fractured by American tariffs. In response, these nations are not just trading barbs but are visibly closing ranks. Their camaraderie is a diplomatic masterstroke, showcasing a unified alternative to the Western-led order that has dominated for decades.
Jones’ analysis highlights a stark reversal of fortune for the US. He used the Kissinger-era “strategic triangle” to illustrate the shift: where the US once skillfully played China against Russia, it now finds itself the isolated vertex. This “new world order,” he concluded, is a dangerous development that leaves America vulnerable and “in a box.”