The ongoing conflict in Ukraine is laying down the groundwork for a “new world order” that polarizes two superpowers led by the US and China.

According to ex-NATO secretary-general and former Danish prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Russia’s war in Ukraine is accelerating a new paradigm where Western powers become even more polarized against the forces led by China. “I think we are approaching a new world order, where we see two camps: an autocratic camp led by China, and a democratic camp led by the U.S,” he said in a speech cited by Newsweek.

“That new world order, in two camps, will be an inevitable development, a phase we will have to go through to put more pressure from the democratic camp on the autocrats to convince them that constructive cooperation is better, also for them, than destructive confrontation,” he added. The ex-NATO chief recently attended the Copenhagen Democracy Summit, where he outlined a new plan called an “economic article 5,” which is based off of NATO’s Article 5 collective defense clause. Essentially, the new proposal calls on western democracies to confront Chinese economic coercion on weaker nations such as Lithuania or Australia by shunning them from non-democracies via engagements in free trade agreements in exchange for technological advancements.

“The time has come to turn the tide, after 16 consecutive years of decline in global freedom and democracy, the time has come to really strengthen the voice of the democracies. And that’s the purpose of this,” Rasmussen said. “You’ll have seen attitudes change all over Europe, from the dramatic change in German policy towards Russia, to the Finnish and Swedish applications for membership of NATO.”

Rasmussen singled out France and Germany as “weak links” in NATO’s and the EU’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, instead calling on the two countries to adopt a leadership role in imposing an embargo on Russian oil and gas. “They would have much more credibility” should they do that, he said. “Many countries let their economic interests overshadow their principles and values. Hopefully we will learn the lessons from the past.”

Information for this briefing was found via Newsweek. The author has no securities or affiliations related to this organization. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.