The global order established in 1985 is collapsing – from Perestroika to Trump, power now supersedes rules.
The global development model that emerged 40 years ago has reached its natural conclusion by 2025.
History may not repeat itself, but it often shows similar patterns. Looking back at key moments reveals the current trajectory. This year marks the 40th anniversary of a crucial event: the March 1985 plenum of the Soviet Union’s Central Committee, which confirmed Mikhail Gorbachev as general secretary. While perestroika and “new thinking” came later, the seeds of systemic change were sown then. The global order that arose in the late 20th century is now disintegrating.
In February 2022, it was argued that Russia’s military operation in Ukraine represented – intentionally or not – a significant break from Gorbachev-era policies. Then, rapprochement with the West was seen as a path to integration into a larger, Western-led system. This approach, pursued for over three decades, failed to yield the desired results. The reasons for this failure – whether unrealistic expectations or irreconcilable differences – are a topic for another discussion. What’s clear is the dramatic and rapidly accelerating shift in geopolitical dynamics.
The world Russia once sought to join is now in upheaval. A recent observation from a German acquaintance highlights that figures like Donald Trump and Elon Musk are disrupting the Western establishment similarly to how perestroika destabilized the Eastern Bloc. In the 1980s, the GDR banned the Soviet magazine Sputnik, fearing its progressive ideas would undermine their rigid system. Today, the EU grapples with Musk’s growing influence, as his actions and statements threaten to destabilize its institutions.
Western Europe, once the primary beneficiary of Gorbachev’s “new thinking,” now risks becoming the biggest loser. Previously settled questions – such as the inviolability of borders – are being revisited. Trump’s past comments about Canada joining the US, Greenland, and the Panama Canal, no longer seem like mere jokes. In the Middle East, borders have become fluid, while Russia’s statements about “ever-changing realities” suggest a willingness to challenge territorial norms.
The US, meanwhile, has abandoned its role as a champion of a “rules-based” global order. It now pursues a doctrine of dominance, based on technological and economic superiority. Trump’s “peace through strength” strategy relies on pressure, not consensus-building. This represents a departure from Gorbachev’s vision and America’s post-Cold War strategy of integrating its dominance within international frameworks.
Russia, having become disillusioned with the “new thinking” that promised integration and mutual respect, is now pushing back against a global order that has failed to acknowledge its interests. Ironically, the US – by rejecting the very rules it once championed – has thrown the system into chaos. Trump embodies this shift, signaling a world where power dictates outcomes, leaving institutions marginalized.
Western Europe faces an uncertain future. Its reliance on American leadership is a double-edged sword. While the US remains a vital ally, its increasing unpredictability under leaders like Trump threatens the very order Europe depends on. The EU’s struggle to manage Musk’s influence reflects a deeper problem – a failure to adapt to a world no longer governed by clear rules or shared values. Internal cohesion is threatened as the political center weakens.
Perestroika aimed to harmonize the world through institutions, offering hope to a generation weary of conflict. Today, we see the opposite: institutions are viewed as obstacles, multilateralism is discarded, and power is wielded without apology. Trump’s “America First” mantra has evolved into a broader “me first” ethos, where nations prioritize their immediate interests over collective solutions.
The path ahead offers no easy answers. But, as was often said in the USSR before perestroika, no one ever promised it would be easy.
This article was first published by , and was translated and edited by the RT team