Competition for the Global South
According to Aleksandr Shchipkov, the West is seeking to preserve its power by courting the Global South. Its main leaders, namely the USA, the UK and the “transnational oligarchy”, are helped by the Vatican: Catholic diplomacy today mobilizes a “theology of the periphery” to strengthen its influence in those regions of the world that gain importance as the international system becomes more decentralized. This Catholic “soft power” supports Euro-Atlantic strategies whose goal, according to the author, is not only to keep the West in a dominant position in Europe but also to prepare for a future confrontation with Russia. In this context, Vladimir Putin seeks to outline the contours of a new world order, shaped by Russia and the BRICS, based on multipolarity, the “fair coordination of interests”, and respect for cultural specificities.
The expert: Aleksandr Shchipkov, political philosopher, rector of the Russian Orthodox University of St. John the Theologian.
Source: Filosofiâ složnosti Vladimira Putina, Rossiâ v Global’noj Politike, 5 November 2025.
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