Global geopolitical confrontations in the post-Cold War era and the role of Cuba

Abstract

The authors begin from the premise that it is useful to analyse broad trends in international affairs by identifying key moments of change. The primary focus is the current phase of international affairs that has been labelled the post-Cold War world. The authors accept that the fall of the USSR at the end of 1991 marked an important change in geopolitics but argue that the 30-year time period since the fall of the Soviet Union has been marked by some very important changes. The era began with a seemingly omnipotent United States that proclaimed a New World Order of peace, prosperity and democracy. The authors analyse how that vision did not come to pass in the context of wars in the Middle East and the rise of China as a great power and the recovery of Russia. Cuba’s role in the post-Cold War era is analysed and preliminary thoughts are made on the potential changing world order in the context of the Russia-Ukraine War.