Experts Call for Middle-Power Nations to Strengthen Cooperation in Navigating Global Dynamics

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Radityo Dharmaputra, a lecturer in International Relations at Airlangga University, has called on Indonesia and other middle-power nations to work together in navigating global dynamics. Radityo made the statement while speaking at a public discussion in Jakarta on Tuesday (24 February), referring to the perception that the role of the United Nations (UN) is no longer effective in addressing various global dynamics, including the ongoing four-year Russian invasion of Ukraine. “Indonesia does have a foreign policy principle to navigate global dynamics. However, in reality, major powers remain more dominant. If middle-power countries do not coordinate and cooperate, the world could return to an unimaginable state,” he said during a discussion entitled ‘Consistency in Upholding the UN Charter’. Radityo believes that middle-power countries are highly dependent on the security guaranteed by international norms and the UN Charter. Without it, the Pacific region could become an arena where major powers repeatedly take over the territories of other countries. “This is a major shift in the global order,” he said. Referring to the situation where invasions and changes to national borders through military force are once again considered normal, the lecturer, who focuses on the study of Russia and Eurasia, stated that this would set a dangerous precedent for Indonesia and other countries in Southeast Asia. “Countries with border issues, including Indonesia, will face strategic risks,” he added. According to Radityo, if the world begins to ignore international law and the UN Charter, this will also have a strategic impact on Indonesia, such as in the South China Sea, conflicts in border areas in Southeast Asia, and even extending to the Pacific. Therefore, he reminded that Indonesia, together with other middle-power countries, needs to take a more pragmatic and strategic approach so that powers do not have ample room to act without limits. The normalisation of war and the tendency to follow the flow of negotiations by major powers without critical reflection are not developments that benefit Indonesia or the region, he said. “Therefore, it is important to remind the public and the government, as well as other middle-power countries, that action needs to be taken now. If not, the situation could become too late to fix,” said Radityo. Copyright © ANTARA 2026 It is strictly prohibited to take content, crawl or automatically index for AI on this website without written permission from the ANTARA News Agency.