Meanwhile, Russia has used the modern lexicon of humanitarian assistance and peacekeeping to disguise its aspirations to reassert its control in what it considers its own backyard, the Caucasus. The old battle-lines between Russia and the West are being redrawn, with the faintest of hopes that Russia would ally with the West dwindling rapidly. There will be no business as usual between Russia and NATO from now on. Russia has clearly stated its intention to reclaim its position as the primary geopolitical concern of the West.

With the war in Afghanistan going downhill and West Asia in turmoil, the West increasingly seems to be losing its ability to dictate terms to an emerging global order. Europe, in particular, is witnessing a steady loss of self-confidence, turning inwards and growing pessimistic about the future. Ideological competition is in full swing with the Russian foreign minister arguing that “for the first time in many years, a real competitive environment has emerged in the market of ideas between different value systems and development models.” According to him, the West is losing its monopoly on the globalisation process.

Raymond Aron, the great political philosopher of the last century, was right: “What passes for optimism is most often the effect of an intellectual error.” Liberal sentimentalism about internationalism and human nature led to post-Cold War complacency about its values. This complacency has come back to haunt it, a tad sooner than expected: history is back with a vengeance.

The writer teaches at King’s College, London express@expressindia.com