International-News

From Utah to Doha, via Poland: two days that upset the global balance

Israeli attack on Qatar, Russian drones over Poland and the murder of Charlie Kirk in the US fuel a global criis that exposes the limits of Donald Trump’s leadership

ROME – 9 and 10 September 2025 will remain symbolic dates marking a disturbing turning point. Israel struck Doha, the heart of a country hitherto considered untouchable and an ally of the West. In the same span of hours, Russian drones violated Polish airspace, forcing NATO to activate its defence systems, while in Utah, a sniper killed conservative activist Charlie Kirk during a meeting with students. Three different episodes, linked by a single consequence: the sudden rise in tension already fuelled by the war in Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza.

These events mark a double wake-up call. On the one hand, the international geopolitical balance appears increasingly fragile: all it takes is one incident to turn the Russian-Ukrainian conflict into a wider war. On the other, political terrorism is finding new opportunities, creating a knock-on effect that threatens targets anywhere in the world.

The two scenarios are intertwined by the state of Trumpism. On the domestic front, Kirk’s assassination evokes the ghosts of the assault on Capitol Hill and the attacks on Trump’s presidential campaign, reigniting deep divisions in American society. On the foreign front, Israel’s moves and Russian provocation highlight the limitations of a president who promised order but instead ends up overwhelmed by chaos.

Since arriving at the White House, Trump has undermined the traditional mechanisms of global order: trade wars, tensions with Europe, almost unconditional support for Israeli initiatives and a fluctuating relationship with Vladimir Putin’s Russia. The result, less than a year after his inauguration, is an increasingly unstable Middle East, a Russia that openly challenges the West, and a Ukrainian conflict far from the “24-hour solution” announced during the election campaign.

The Israeli raid on Doha is the most striking symbol of this phase. Striking a strategic partner such as Qatar, which mediates between the parties in Gaza, means eroding one of the last strongholds in the region and calling into question Trump’s ability to contain the escalation. The days of 9 and 10 September thus show a world on the brink of a wider conflict and a US president increasingly unable to withstand the pressure.

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