“The West is now in a box,” declared American political commentator Van Jones, capturing the growing anxiety in Washington over a new geopolitical alignment. His comments were a direct reaction to the powerful imagery from the SCO summit, where the leaders of China, Russia, and India demonstrated a remarkably united front. The gathering has been interpreted as a direct challenge to American global leadership.
The summit’s timing was crucial, occurring amidst heightened trade disputes driven by the US administration’s tariff policies. The sight of Prime Minister Modi, President Xi, and President Putin walking and talking together without a US representative in sight was a potent diplomatic maneuver. It signaled their intention to chart a course for global affairs that does not require Washington’s participation or approval.
Van Jones called the meeting a “historically big deal,” suggesting that its implications will be felt for years to come. He painted a grim picture for the US, where it is no longer the manipulator of geopolitical triangles but the isolated party. “It was US and China together and Russia by itself,” he said, recalling the Kissinger era. “Now we are on the bad side… It’s everybody against us.”
This emerging “multipolar world” is being seen as a “dagger pointed at the heart of the West.” The formation of this powerful Eurasian bloc, galvanized by shared opposition to US policies, represents a fundamental shift in the global balance of power, leaving the United States to confront a world that is increasingly united against it.