John Mearsheimer: Is China the Real Winner of Ukraine War?

International relations scholar John Mearsheimer analyzes the current global shift toward a multipolar order, characterized by intense security competition between the United States and China. Realism dictates that great powers prioritize survival and balance of power, rendering the previous era of liberal hegemony obsolete. The ongoing war in Ukraine serves as a prime example of this geopolitical friction, where NATO expansion—viewed by Russia as an existential threat—has resulted in a protracted, destructive conflict. Mearsheimer argues that the United States’ failure to recognize the limits of its power and its refusal to prioritize East Asia over European entanglements have inadvertently strengthened China’s position. Furthermore, flashpoints like Taiwan and the South China Sea remain high-risk areas where political imperatives may override military calculations, potentially leading to dangerous escalations that threaten global stability.