Multilateralism is Not Dead Yet

Entering 2026, the global landscape is characterized by heightened uncertainty, overlapping crises and structural shifts. With conflicts ongoing in roughly 50 countries, tariff wars becoming the abnormal norm and global economic growth at its slowest pace in decades, there is little reason for optimism. The only predictable element appears to be unpredictability itself. Analysts note that these conditions reflect systemic transformations, reshaping not only international relations but also domestic politics, economic priorities and public expectations.

Three key shifts underpin the current global turbulence:

1. From a unipolar to a multipolar world