There was time, 1945-1990, when America ruled the noncommunist world like a brutal gang leader, bullying its many poodle states with unlimited military and financial power, whipping and threatening them into obedience. The joke in postwar diplomatic circles still is that the United States doesn't have any friends, just clients, and abused, browbeaten ones at that. My, oh my, how times have changed.
Russia has gone from a "Chicago Boys" disaster-capitalism-failed-state to an independent, confident, economically growing, superior military global power. Russia beat the West hands down in Ukraine, reabsorbing Crimea and essentially doing the same with the eastern third of the country. Except for most of Eastern Europe, Russia has kept much of the former USSR in military and economic unity. With quiet support from China, Russia has whipped NATO in Syria and will now likely to turn towards Iraq. America has been working overtime to split India and Brazil away from their commitment to BRICS, but the Bear and the Dragon came out even stronger, and BRICS never more cohesive, after the recent summit in Xiamen, China, earlier this month.
China is nominally the second largest economy in the world and in purchasing power parities (PPP), is the king of the globe. It too has a modern, fearsome army with technology running out the yazoo. Did you know "yazoo" is a Chinese word? It means, "Uncle Sam can kiss my sweet yellow ass goodbye". Just kidding.
Comment: Despite their recent statements about limiting the U.S. role in Syria to fighting ISIS and preserving Syria's integrity, the Americans seem intent on controlling as much territory in the east as possible via their proxies. They're like spoiled children. And yeah, they're still supporting ISIS.