Amid the war in Ukraine and the escalation of US-China confrontation, Russia and China have strengthened their ties, leading to a confrontation with the West, one between democracy versus authoritarianism, or a "new Cold War" that is splitting the world into blocs. As the world becomes divided, various frameworks of international cooperation are facing serious crises. The UN Security Council was exposed as dysfunctional by Russia's veto over the invasion of Ukraine and it has failed to respond to North Korea's missile launches.

On the nuclear issue, negotiations between the US and Russia came to a screeching halt amid growing concern over the possible use of nuclear weapons in light of the intimidation by President Putin. The first meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and the NPT Review Conference were held, but the latter failed to adopt a final document due to Russian opposition. While the war in Ukraine casts a heavy shadow over international economic and environmental issues, agreements were somehow achieved at the G20 and APEC summits, the WTO Ministerial Meeting, and COP27, but international policy coordination remains challenging and the future of multilateral cooperation frameworks is becoming increasingly uncertain.