By John Mahlouf, Associated PressThe United States has been the world’s dominant superpower for a quarter of a century.
But that dominance has been challenged by a new threat: an emboldened Russia.
And while Trump is unlikely to be impeached, the U.S. could be forced to reckon with an increasingly assertive Russia.
In his first full year in office, Trump has shown himself to be erratic, prone to bluster and prone to tweeting.
That has left the West’s leaders with little appetite for dealing with Russia.
Even the most ardent supporters of American engagement with Russia have been left with mixed emotions.
On the one hand, Trump’s decision to bomb Syria, despite the country’s stated willingness to cooperate, has raised hopes that cooperation with Moscow will resume.
On the other hand, the president has also been accused of undermining U.N. Security Council efforts to impose a new round of sanctions on Russia, and he has not been entirely forthcoming about his relationship with Russia, as he has been with North Korea.
So why is the United States still in a position of strength in the face of Russia?
The world is facing the first major challenge to its dominance since the end of World War II.
The United States is no longer the dominant superpower.
The question is how long can the United Nations and the international community keep up the pressure?
What is at stake?
Russia is not merely a threat to the U., but to the world.
Its economy is heavily dependent on exports, its strategic depth is unparalleled, and its geopolitical clout is growing.
The world has not witnessed such a sustained conflict for so long, with the number of refugees in the world increasing by 30 percent since 2015.
The number of people suffering from acute malnutrition in developing countries is at an all-time high.
The United Nations has repeatedly called on the Russian government to refrain from destabilizing Ukraine and to stop supporting pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.
And Russia has been accused by some Western leaders of violating sanctions on Iran.
Yet for the past six years, Russia has managed to maintain its influence in Ukraine and the former Soviet republics of Georgia and Moldova.
The Kremlin has also built up its military power and political might by supporting armed separatist groups in the Ukraine.
So how can the West remain effective in the post-Cold War era, when its credibility is under serious threat?
The challenge for Western leaders is how to keep the United Nation and the global community engaged while simultaneously countering Russia.
The Trump administration has already made some significant moves in the direction of undermining the United State’s role in the international system.
For example, the administration has been criticized for the removal of sanctions imposed on Iran over its nuclear program.
The removal of the sanctions has sparked speculation that the administration is trying to undermine U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May, a vocal advocate of a negotiated settlement.
What are the chances that Russia will change its ways?
What if it’s not willing to engage?
The answer to that question may be as simple as the ability of the United Kingdom to remain at the negotiating table.
The Kremlin has been unwilling to engage with the West in any serious way, despite a recent agreement that included a number of important elements, including the lifting of sanctions against Russia.
It has also refused to sign a landmark nuclear agreement with Iran, which has been in place since 2015, which is a prerequisite for the United Sates involvement in the nuclear negotiations.
In its current state, the agreement is still in the early stages of implementation.
The Russian position on the nuclear deal, which the Kremlin considers the main obstacle to a possible peaceful resolution of the nuclear issue, is that it is a non-binding document that cannot be altered or modified.
Moscow has repeatedly stated that the sanctions against Iran must remain in place, but in a diplomatic way, rather than through the international nuclear regime.
It is unlikely that Russia would agree to a nonbinding document without the United states actively encouraging it to change its policy.
That could happen, but it would require significant concessions on Moscow’s part.
If the United state’s interest in a negotiated resolution to the nuclear dispute is undermined, then the Kremlin will likely take more aggressive steps in the future.
It is unlikely, therefore, that the United s leadership will be able to hold Moscow to its commitments on the Iranian nuclear issue.
The only way to prevent that is to keep a lid on the Trump administration’s actions.
But if the administration can be kept in check and the United nation remains committed to maintaining its global leadership, there may be a way forward.
What is the world coming to?
The stakes are high in the region, but they also have a global dimension.
China is the greatest threat to international peace and security, and it is also one of the most influential nations in the West.
Its influence and economic might is on the rise.
Its growing military might, and increasing military expenditures, are making it a major military power.
The Chinese have recently become the world s most powerful military power
