Trump’s pursuit of global hegemony under the guise of peace

US President Donald Trump attempted to outmanoeuvre his Ukraine counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky – but I believe Zelensky may return to the White House like Nicodemus at some point.

Eyeing Ukraine’s minerals, Trump behaved like a typical American president, using a combination of soft and hard power tactics in an attempt to expand US hegemony worldwide.

However, Zelensky realised it was less about making peace with Russia and more about Trump’s transactional interests.

The US president seemed to befriend both Ukraine and Russia, primarily to access their mineral resources, not sincerely to reconcile them. The United States often behaves like a schoolyard bully, misusing its power. It takes advantage of its status as a permanent member of the UN Security Council and often ignores international law. In doing so, it consolidates and legitimises its global hegemony.

Its irresponsible foreign policy and abuse of US influence, especially in matters of peaceful settlement of military conflicts, continue to provoke a growing mistrust of international institutions by the rest of the world.

At the United Nations Security Council, the US and its closest Nato allies, the UK and France, often operate as a cohesive bloc by employing a hidden veto.

ALSO READ: Business confidence stalls at start of 2025 after three increases

A stark illustration of the US’ misuse of veto power occurred when it vetoed a UN resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, which was intended to prevent further escalation of conflict. This veto not only undermined peace efforts, but also led to a humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.

Since 7 October, 2023, the American delegation at the United Nations has used its veto power five times to protect Israel from being held accountable for its actions in Gaza.

This reflects a longer trend as since 1972, the United States has vetoed a total of 45 resolutions related to Israel at the UN.

So, when Washington supports initiatives to reform the UN and its structures like the security council, many doubt its sincerity.

A report by the US-based Wilson Centre indicates the US initiative does not grant veto power to new council members from developing countries or the Global South. This decision effectively categorises them as second-class states.

The US approach has reinforced scepticism regarding international institutions among developing nations, including South Africa. President Cyril Ramaphosa has been at the forefront of advocating for genuine reform of multilateral institutions to ensure they are more inclusive.

ALSO READ: Will Trump’s tariffs have major negative effect on South Africa’s economy?

Despite his inconsistencies, there is hope Trump may be the lesser of two evils, particularly regarding military conflicts. Citing sources, Reuters and The Telegraph reported that for the first time since the Russian-Ukrainian conflict began, the US did not co-sponsor a draft resolution in the UN General Assembly that supports Kyiv and condemns Russia’s actions.

According to Reuters, the Ukrainian-EU-sponsored resolution reaffirms the urgent need to end the war this year and its language is significantly softened compared to the past.

The text also emphasises the necessity of implementing previous UN resolutions that require Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukrainian territory and urges both to cease hostilities.

As an alternative, says the agency, the US submitted its own three-paragraph draft resolution in which it expresses sorrow over the loss of life in the “Russian-Ukrainian conflict”. The resolution also calls for “an early end to the conflict and urges the establishment of a lasting peace”.

I hope that the new Trump administration, which positions itself as a global peacemaker, will consider all the previous administrations’ mistakes and take the right course toward cooperation with the international community in the context of the emerging multipolar world order.