Is this a new imperial age? Donald Trump says Europe is on its own. Vladimir Putin stands ready to gobble it up. Xi Jinping eyes up Taiwan. Welcome to the new age.
Trump, Putin, Xi carve up the world
Divvying it up: Putin, Xi and Trump are all accused of trying to expand their national boundaries, whether by threat or by force. Glossary
Donald Trump - An American politician, media personality, and businessman serving as the 47th president of the United States since January 2025. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the 45th president from 2017 to 2021.
Russia - The largest country in the world by area. It has a population of 144 million people.
Ukraine - A country in Eastern Europe. It was invaded by Russia in February 2022.
Invaded - When an army enters a country or place to take it over.
Africa - The world's second-largest continent, covering 20% of the Earth's land area.
Complains - Expresses unhappiness about something.
Bills - A bill shows how much money you owe for something, such as heating or water.
Empire - A group of countries or states ruled by a single power — sometimes a king or queen.
Laws - Rules that everyone must follow.
Rivals - People you are competing against.
Soft power - A kind of power based on shaping the preferences of others through appeal and incentives. It is contrasted with hard power, based on simple coercion.
Imperial - Relating to an empire.