Westerners still believe that their minds should dominate the world. Their atavistic Manichaeism manifests itself once again in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict: “If you don’t support those we support, you must be against us.” This is how everyone who does not vote for the UN resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, everyone who does not qualify Russia’s occupation as aggression, will become an all-powerful enemy of the West.

But a few years ago, Mandela had lectured a pretentious American journalist, who berated him and denounced him for being guilty of befriending Libyan leader Mammouar Gaddafi. Mandela had responded in a scathing tone, that he had the freedom to choose his friendship and that the enemies of the United States were not necessarily enemies of South Africa. In essence, he reminded him that Libya was an old friend and had supported the ANC during apartheid’s ordeal. This is not the case in the US. It has rained the atmosphere!

The same story repeats itself: for the West, Russia must be the enemy of all since it was declared the enemy of the West. But the world has changed but the West doesn’t seem to notice. He takes refuge and delights in his denial. Already in it, many transformations have taken place: the US has decided to withdraw since Obama’s presidency; Theresa May and Boris Johnson’s English came out with a bang from the European community; and the sacred alliance between France and Germany has faltered since Merkel hung up. Elsewhere too, the world has changed: India is ranked 5th in the world’s economic power over its former colonizer, Britain.

Many crises have favored a withdrawal to authoritarian regimes, Lula has returned to power in Brazil and the countries of South America and Africa are not worried about this “European war” and have decided not to vote for camps.

Despite these changes, for the West, the colonized will always remain colonized, frozen in their eternal status. They still think they have control over us. They do not understand that we refuse to choose their side. They don’t understand that we don’t take the path they show us. They don’t understand that South Africa is conducting military maneuvers off its coast with Russia when they, happily, can do so without any explanation. They don’t understand that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is well received in India and Africa, countries they once colonized. They don’t understand that African countries don’t make Russia a monster. Didn’t they threaten to sanction from now on everyone who would make Russian propaganda? As one Indian minister would say: “Europe thinks its problems should concern the world and the world’s problems do not concern it”. They want to impose our compassion and cooperation in the name of what they believe is good for humanity. Yes, they think they are “on the good side of history”. They want to force us into the “get on the right side of history” political rhetoric that American Democrats love so much. What they don’t say is that they determine the good side of the story. Human rights apparently do not have the same value in Chad and Ukraine, just as they do not have the same value in Palestine and Ukraine. First, we will strongly condemn the invasion, and we want all the voices of the world to join you and for the rest, we will turn our backs, and we will close our eyes.

Biden’s recent visit to Kiev, to mark the strong choice of Westerners in this Russo-Ukrainian war, on this anniversary date of Russia’s invasion, demonstrated Europe’s impotence on its own soil. The United States remains a locomotive in military support efforts for Ukraine and the war against Russia. From his pulpit in Warsaw, Poland, Biden announced more war credits for Ukraine. Were it not for the bitter failure and defeat in Afghanistan, it would be difficult to resist the idea of ​​sending troops to Donbass. The countries of the former Iron Curtain, although liberated by the European Union, are sheltering en masse under the protective wings of NATO. The European defense that France so desperately wanted was never possible. Europe has become the second zone. A war is going on in the house and he doesn’t have the means to be a major player in its development. The American Bradley combat vehicle is what Ukraine is waiting for to launch its counterattack.

While Europe was losing its power and influence, China, India, and to a lesser extent Turkey were gaining a foothold. They have much more to say. Africa, for her part, knows that she is being courted and so she shows off. It has already multiplied its sources of supply and cooperation. China, India and Turkey have been its main economic partners. Moreover, at the military level he rebelled. Mali and Burkina followed the lead of the Central African Republic and called on France to secede from their territory. There is no doubt that this trend of not belonging to the West is accelerating. The time of those who live in luxury the remains of their victims are running out. Macron will always be able to summon the king of Persia Xerxes and bombard Russia guilty for opening our eyes to the impotence of his master. History will surely continue.

C. Tidiane Sow is a political communication coach.