Russian invasion of Ukraine could mean a disturbing change in the world, namely the end of a peaceful global era. Since the 1990s, there have been fewer wars in the world than in any other historical period, although, at first glance, this was not always noticeable..

The number of deadly conflicts has crashed since the end of the Cold War in 1991. And we are talking about both direct and indirect clashes between great states, writes the New York Times.

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But the world has changed. Left as the only superpower after the Cold War, the US has become weaker. They are mired in failed wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.. Meanwhile, Russia and China have become more formidable powers.. They are now in a better position to challenge the world shaped by American rules and regulations.. The invasion of Ukraine is the biggest example of Vladimir Putin's willingness to question the US-led world order. Another similar example was the Russian intervention in the Syrian civil war..

China is pursuing its own interests. In particular, he dreams of taking control of Taiwan and increasing his influence in the Far East and Southeast Asia.. Strengthening cooperation between Moscow and Beijing in recent years also indicates that they are trying to draw new lines of global rivalry.. And in response to these threats, other potential major players, such as Europe, are building up their armies.. Experts say the world hasn't looked this precarious in decades.

Throughout human history, war has been the norm.. From the 16th to the 18th centuries, the great powers fought among themselves almost all the time.. Only in the 19th and 20th centuries they participated in the conflicts that led to the outbreak of two world wars and cost the lives of more than 100 million people.. Tens of millions more were forced to flee the war. But since the Cold War, according to Ohio State University international security experts Beer Braumuller, the rate of new conflicts has more than halved.. And the flashing ones were much smaller in scale. The number of deaths due to fighting has plummeted. This was partly due to armies getting better at treating their wounded soldiers..

International relations expert at Dartmouth College William Walforth notes that the reduction in wars in the world has been unprecedented..

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This global world has some key features. There was no rivalry between the great powers, because no country could leave the challenge to the US. Nuclear weapons deter states from declaring war on each other, given the potential apocalyptic consequences. An increasingly embedded global economy has made every war too much of a threat to everyone's growth.. But peacekeeping institutions, such as the UN and the EU, have created conditions for countries to resolve disputes between them.. They also enforced anti-war measures, though not always successfully..

Another element - the status of a great state was no longer synonymous with a thirst for conquest.. The United States, as a superpower for a century, viewed the capture of other states as a harmful practice that would destroy the world order built by Washington.. American aggression in Vietnam, Panama, Iraq and other countries has always been aimed at protecting the world order, no matter how bad the justifications for these wars may be..

Russia and China never liked American leadership. For decades, both countries have demanded the construction of a new structure in which they will receive large roles, and maybe even dominate in deciding how the world works.. Russia pursues its imperialist ambitions in Eastern Europe and sees NATO expansion as an " China has benefited greatly from the liberal order and globalization. But its leaders now also go after dissenters at home, the government in Taiwan, protesters in Hong Kong, Uyghur Muslims with complete ease..

China and Russia have opportunities to live out their beliefs. Putin consolidated his power in the country in more than 20 years of rule, and also modernized the Russian army. While the invasion of Ukraine stalled, exposing numerous Russian weaknesses. China has built its economy to such an extent that it could soon compete with the US. In addition, it increases military strength and regional influence..

This could lead to even more great power rivalry.. Potentially, this can be expressed in the outbreak of new proxy wars between these countries.. Or a direct conflict against the West may also begin.. But any big shift in the world order depends to a large extent on the behavior of China, since it is the only one capable of being a rival for the United States.. "

China has also repeatedly called for respect for the country's sovereignty.. There are reasons to be skeptical about these statements, in particular because of Beijing's attitude towards Taiwan and its loyalty to Russia after the invasion of Ukraine.. However, if China is not joking, then the war in Ukraine may not be a manifestation of nightmares ahead, but the last deadly breath of the Cold War..