Western Covert Action and Eroding the Liberal World Order: Russia as a Rising Challenger?

Actions of major states in the international system have caused the liberal world order to seem under heavy strain in the early 21st century. Policies and actions by the US and NATO have challenged long-standing Russian security interests. Despite existing power asymmetries, Russia has reacted with both covert and overt operations to maintain or expand its influence at the expense of the West. Russian actions are also motivated in part by Vladimir Putin’s expressed vision of a new ‘Russian World,’ one very different from the current liberal world order. We examine these challenges, their significance, and offer our suggestions regarding the threat to the liberal world order by the actions of a dissatisfied major power. We conclude by examining the potential future of a liberal world order.