Viral shifts in geopolitics
The corona crisis is also shaking up international politics. Conflicting parties are suddenly confronting the same threat and long-established alliances are being called into question. Journalists discuss what radical changes could persist even after the pandemic.
The war cries are falling silent
Radio Kommersant FM notes that the conflicts in Syria, Gaza and Donbass are tapering off and takes hope:
“We now face a common enemy, and to fight it we must cooperate with our long-time foes. ... That is why all the belligerent rhetoric which until now has served as a cement for societies and decided elections has effectively faded to nothing. No doubt we will once again want to decide matters by force once this scourge has been defeated. But there is hope that ordinary people will then make it clear to their leaders that it is not tanks or missiles that are needed to defend national interests, but medicine and science. And that manoeuvres shouldn't focus on conquering foreign territories but on the rapid construction of field hospitals.”
Where were our friends in our hour of need?
Who helps whom in the crisis could play a key role in future geopolitical developments, US correspondent Massimo Gaggi points out in Corriere della Sera:
“Aid came by plane from China, Russia and even Cuba. But hardly any came from the US and the EU. ... When all this is over, there will be much to rebuild: the economy, healthcare facilities, international relations, trust between peoples. Today resentment is growing, especially towards allied countries and friends from whom we would have expected a little more in our hour of greatest need. But very little came - not least because this is a planetary crisis that now threatens to overwhelm even the United States.”