The Victory Day celebrations held on May 9th in two nations separated by thousands of kilometers – Israel and Russia – were marked by a detail that did not intrigue the corporate press, always preoccupied with analyzing the world from a basic and childish point of view.
High politics, for centuries defined and commanded behind the scenes, does not usually become public knowledge. Something rare happened this year. During Victory Day remarks on May 9, 2026, Russian President Vladimir Putin explicitly referred to the United States, China, and India as "partners" and "friends."
Israeli high ranking officials think it is highly probable that those four connected nations will be the major and only 21st-century global powers, with China and the US already acting as peer competitors and India rising rapidly.
Over the past few decades, Israeli political authorities have, on different and particular occasions, cultivated, engaged, and publicly called upon as friends and partners nations as distinct and often hostile to each other as the United States, Russia, China, and India. This approach is part of a complex, multialignment strategy aimed at strengthening Israel's economic and security interests, though this delicate balancing act faces increased pressure during times of global crises, which is nothing new in a three-millennium history of the Jewish nation.
In January 2026, French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed deep concern that the world is fragmenting into a struggle between major superpowers, a situation he warns risks the "vassalization" of Europe and the collapse of international rules.Macron’s background, including his former role as an investment banker at Rothschild & Cie, has often shaped his technocratic approach to economics. He can be considered the only elite European political thinker.
The 21st century already has put a significant "end" to Europe as a global power, characterized by a shift from a leading global actor to a "normative" or regulatory power with diminished influence. The EU even faces existential risks due to economic underperformance, geopolitical fragmentation, and the rejection of Jews and Christians and their philosophies.
In this context, the Jewish Community of Porto is perhaps the Portuguese organization best adapted to the world to come. Based in a synagogue whose name comes from Chinese Jews (Kadoorie), and which in the 21st century has been successively presided over by Jews from India (Elijah), the USA (Jeffries), and Uzbeks (Benzion), the community prides itself on being a world leader in promoting Jewish culture and has plans that, if realized, will make Portugal a relevant nation in the concert of nations, something the nation only knew before the expulsion of the Jews.
