On June 3, 2026, two events shocked the diplomatic community. Germany, Europe's economic engine, got its biggest political shock in recent decades: it received only 104 votes in the UN General Assembly, short of the two-thirds majority needed, losing out to Austria (131 votes) and Portugal (134 votes) in the election to the Western European seats in the UN Security Council.

The other event also played out at the Security Council. To the shock of many, the tiny central Asian state of Kyrgyzstan roundly defeated the Philippines – a Washington ally – for the sole Asia-Pacific seat at the Security Council. Kyrgyzstan won with a thumping majority of 142 to the 49 for the Philippines. The Central Asian nation now becomes a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2027-2028 term.

Most people in the West, presumably, have never heard of the country, but the US was, from the outset, concerned about the vote, because Kyrgyzstani people have friendly, peaceful relations with their Chinese and Russian neighbours, while the US spends billions of dollars a year to demonise both countries.

This is a clear snub to a US president who has "normalised" the might-is-right dictum. This normalisation also extends to Israel.

Embarrassing as this first loss was for Germany, the mightiest European power, it amounted to bad........

© The Express Tribune