What will be the strategy of president-elect Donald Trump towards Russia and China, Washington’s two chief competitors? There is a global perception that Trump will be ‘soft’ on Russia and ‘hard’ on China.

Why Divide and Rule

Between 2020, when the first Trump presidency came to an end, and 2025, when the second Trump presidency is all set to begin, the world has undergone massive changes. Due to the US-backed conflicts in Ukraine and Palestine, Washington’s global position is weaker, and the idea of a new, multipolar world order is stronger. This is evident from the expansion of BRICS. For Donald Trump, who has a lot of interest in ‘Making America Great Again’, a decline in America’s global influence due to China and Russia is a major concern. Therefore, undoing their alliance makes sense to him.

What will this strategy of divide and rule look like? As reports indicate, Trump spoke with Russia’s President Putin on Ukraine. Although this report was denied by Kremlin, it still shows Trump’s interest in bringing the Ukraine issue, as he claimed in his presidential campaign, to a quick end. His divide and rule, therefore, involves offering Russia an olive branch vis-à-vis Ukraine and the possibility of a reintegration with the west, i.e., lifting........

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