After the USSR dissolved itself in 1989, the US pushed East. All of Eastern Europe fell under US influence, plus many republics of the former USSR such as the Baltic republics and Georgia. It was the greatest gain of geostrategic territory in human history in such a short amount of time. It was done without war, but through lies, deceptions, and false promises that were never kept. Russia, under Yeltsin, was on the verge of collapse. Life expectancy and demographics were collapsing. It appeared that the further fragmentation of Russia was inevitable. But one man finally aroused Russian defiance, and that man was Putin.

It was evident to the West that Russia under Putin would not buckle. On the contrary, Russia grew stronger. Like the Phoenix, it rose from the ashes. Despite its economically  small size compared to the US, China, and the EU, it is incomparably powerful due to its size, geographic position, natural wealth, and resilience of its people. It is present in the Pacific, Arctic, North Atlantic, Baltic, Central Europe-Kaliningrad, Central Asia, Black Sea without spending a kopek.

US, being essentially isolated geographically in North America must project power in order to be pertinent and to extract natural wealth from others. This policy has become unbearably expensive and the rewards have had diminishing returns with the passing of time.

As universal hegemon, the US is involved everywhere diplomatically, economically, and militarily, imposing its policy and worldview on others. The world has become very resentful and is starting to fight back.

One modus operandi of US foreign policy has been economic strangulation of economies of countries that do not follow US instructions. But lately, this policy has not been too successful. A good example is Iran. Many methods have been tried occultly with the participation of Israel but to no avail. Iran is getting stronger and stronger. The US and Israel may try a military option, but this is fraught with great danger.

The US Congress is legislating serious sanctions against Russia which the President will sign in order to weaken the Russians. It will fail. Russia is an autarchy (meaning a country who is economically independent, not the authoritarian definition) and such countries only get stronger. The German invasion of the USSR is a good example. Also, countries of the world are moving away from subservience to US and moving to independence. An excellent example is Turkey.

Thus, the US is caught in Zugzwang in many geographic situations of the world: North Korea, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Syria, Iraq, Venezuela, etc.  It is conducting military exercises constantly with its allies from the Baltic, Black Sea, Mediterranean, Persian Gulf, South China Sea to North Korea.

One can say that US foreign policy consists of a constant poking and provoking.