The Russia–Ukraine war, the evolving global order, the Global South and emergence of non-alignment 2.0

Abstract

The conclusion to the special section argues that the Russia-Ukraine war has led to the emergence of non-alignment 2.0 in the Global South because the Cold War era non-alignment is anachronistic in the current/emerging world order. Non-alignment 2.0 is characterised by countries exercising strategic autonomy to maximise their geo-economic, geopolitical and geostrategic interests. They are neither aligned with the West nor with non-western powers forming a strategic alliance. Consequently, they have been unwilling to choose a side in the Russia-Ukraine war. In non-alignment 2.0, states in the Global South will be critical of both the West and non-western powers including China and Russia if they are unable to provide effective solutions to their problems and will create/provide their own norms and establish their own institutions to solve the problems facing these countries. Non-alignment 2.0 lacks coherence because it is unable to provide an effective political and economic path.