In the midst of America’s air strikes against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and cooperation with the European Union (EU) to put more pressure on Russia after its most invasion of Ukraine, there is currently a great deal of tension between the two global powers that grew into what some political experts went as far as to state as a new Cold War. However, it is believed that China, while it is appearing to be cooperative towards America and Russia it is using the opportunity to further expand its influence in the global arena.
There are conflicts between all three major states. The conflicts between the U.S. and Russia are the most prominent. Russia’s ministry of foreign affairs has criticized the U.S. both for its cooperation with E.U. and the air strikes targeting the Islamic State. Russian representatives have expressed that any kind of military attack carried out in the Middle East without the endorsement of the United Nations or Syria is an act that goes against international law.
The U.S. retaliated by pointing to Russia’s most recent intervention in the conflict taking place in Ukraine between the government and the pro-Russia rebels. President Obama, at one point stated that if Russia should continue such acts of violence against neighboring states, it will eventually have to pay the price. It has been reported that the American administration had approved E.U.’s additional foreign policies geared towards Russia which involved additional economic sanctions that prevented investments into Russia’s largest banks. Putin made a controversial statement “reminding” Europe and the United States that Russia is one of the most nuclear nations in the world.
Meanwhile, China is showing a dual attitude toward both the United States and Russia. China’s ministry of foreign affairs took the position that their nation hopes to cooperate with the U.S. in the fight against terrorism and defense of world peace. At the same time however, strengthened economic ties in Russia. In the most recent China-Russia summit meeting which was held on the 11th, China’s chairman Xi Jinping, and President Vladimir Putin promised to construct new gas pipes leading to western Russia and China and even other economic ties involving the construction of a high-speed railroad system.
On the other hand of the political arena, the Chinese government expressed that while violence should not be an option in the Ukrainian conflict, they did express the hope that Russia will gain the upper hand in the frictions with E.U. and the U.S.
There is still a great deal of tension between the United States and Russia regarding ISIS and Ukraine, and it is reported that Russia is attempting to gather any anti-American nations or groups to gain more support in their opposition of America’s air strikes in the Middle East and it influence in Ukraine.
