Global Power in a Changing World: Is the Atlantic Era Over? (SR)

From the end of World War II through the Cold War and into the early twenty-first century, the trans-Atlantic region served as the center of global political, military, and economic power. The United States and Western Europe dominated the international system, while NATO evolved from a Cold War alliance into a broader guarantor of security and stability. Today, however, that Atlantic-centered order faces significant challenges. Growing uncertainty about the future of NATO, concerns about the reliability of U.S. security commitments, and discussions of a more independent European defense architecture have raised questions about the future of the trans-Atlantic partnership. At the same time, China's rise as a global power and the expansion of institutions such as BRICS+, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and the Belt and Road Initiative have created alternative centers of influence. Coupled with a deepening Russia-China partnership and Russia's accelerated pivot toward Asia, these developments suggest that the international system may be entering a new era in which power is increasingly distributed beyond the Atlantic world.