The Russia–Ukraine war, the evolving global order, the Global South and emergence of non‐alignment 2.0

Abstract The conclusion to the special section argues that the Russia‐Ukraine war has led to the emergence of non‐alignment 2.0 in the Global South because the Cold War era non‐alignment is anachronistic in the current/emerging world order. Non‐alignment 2.0 is characterised by countries exercising strategic autonomy to maximise their geo‐economic, geopolitical and geostrategic interests. They are neither aligned with the West nor with non‐western powers forming a strategic alliance. Consequently, they have been unwilling to choose a side in the Russia‐Ukraine war. In non‐alignment 2.0, states in the Global South will be critical of both the West and non‐western powers including China and Russia if they are unable to provide effective solutions to their problems and will create/provide their own norms and establish their own institutions to solve the problems facing these countries. Non‐alignment 2.0 lacks coherence because it is unable to provide an effective political and economic path.