Presidents Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin are pushing for a new world order… At China’s 10th anniversary Belt and Road Summit in Beijing, Xi told leaders from the Global South (aka developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America) that “ideological confrontation, geopolitical rivalry and bloc politics are not a choice for us”. Analysts say it’s Xi’s belief that China is a force for global stability, whereas America’s grip on power is the problem at the heart of what ails the world. As for how that assessment aligns with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Putin points to the West/America’s meddling as a big part of Eastern Europe’s problems. And the Russian leader says that with China, “we are moving forward very confidently.” As for what’s happening in Ukraine, its counteroffensive has been hard going, but reports this morning say there has been a significant gain in the country’s east.