Transition and change in the international system. Strategic realignments among the United States, the European Union, Russia and China

Abstract

The international relations system is in a continuous process of transition and change. In the multipolar landscape of our time, the complex rivalry between the United States, China, Russia and the European Union is characterized by dynamics of competition and conflict. In this context, technological innovations, geopolitical issues and economic strategies drive constant changes and readjustment in the international system. Furthermore, the arrival of Donald Trump to a second term as president of the United States has accentuated a nationalist and unilateralist orientation in the international role of this great power. Through a trade war and disruptive discourse, this stance is generating alterations and ruptures in the structures of the international liberal order built after the end of World War ii. Based on these trends, how will the international relations system be shaped in the coming years? What will be the strategic readjustments of the European Union, Russia, and China? This paper proposes some perspectives to address these questions, considering David Easton’s systems theory and an analysis of the ongoing changes in the international arena.