The concept of sovereignty is a relatively new phenomenon in history, the primal instinct to extend borders and encroach on a neighbour's land has never really left the human psyche. There can be no better example of this than Ukraine, 20 per cent of whose territory is now under Russian occupation. The peace talks initiated by Russia and the US in Saudi Arabia to end the war does ironically not have any representative from Ukraine, the sufferer. This could point to a nefarious plan by the two superpowers to divide up the former USSR constituent between themselves with the Ukranians being declared persona non grata. Trump's utterances on acquiring Greenland, merging Canada into USA as the latter's 51st state, annexing the Panama Canal and other assorted hyperbole are ominous signs that the world order is sought to be criminally upended by two rogue presidents. It was after the Second World War that sovereignty and respect for territorial integrity were codified and enshrined in international law. It wouldn't be a brave new world but a grave new world where the identity of small countries lacking military muscle would be buried 6 feet under.
