Henry Kissinger is perhaps the most well-known realist thinker in American diplomacy today. He is a controversial person, and his thinking about the US role in world affairs is distinctly colored by his understanding of 19th century European diplomacy. Spiegel conducted an interview with him and his views are worth considering, even if one has strong objections to specific policies that he advocates.
As Chinese power has grown over the last thirty years, there has been a notable reluctance on China’s part to participate more actively in international institutions. That hesitation has been diminishing lately and China has begun to take a more active role in global governance. We are therefore getting a sense of how China wishes to shape the world order. Its most dramatic proposal has been for the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, a competitor to the World Bank and the regional Development Banks established within the period of American dominance. Although its governance structure differs from the earlier banks, it does not appear as if China is pushing for an economic system fundamentally different from the market capitalism espoused by the US.
Last year Russia hosted the G-20 meeting in St. Petersburg and the event was well attended and Russia was highly regarded. This year, the conference is in Australia, and by all accounts, Russian President Putin has been treated like a pariah. The members of the G-20 have made their views about Russian activities in Ukraine quite explicit–indeed, the Canadian Prime Minister is reported to have said directly to President Putin: “I guess I’ll shake your hand, but I have only one thing to say to you: You need to get out of Ukraine.”
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