Not so much the "multipolar" world that Putin envisions, but more the world that Michael Klare predicted many years ago--a world where the nations with hegemonic designs come up against the realities of continual growth, nonstop disasters and resource depletion. These once-keystone nations like the U.S., China and Russia recede to attend to domestic financial realities; but, more dangerously, our international institutions are also facing credibility problems because they rely on good faith to operate correctly: The U.N. and its umbrella organizations, the International criminal courts, the IMF and the World Bank.
So I guess what I'm seeing is the weakening of the Post WW2 safety mechanisms against lawless nations at the exact moment when some nations will turn lawless for various reasons, like amassing diminishing resources, expanding their borders through force.
And I think this is the world Joe Biden was trying to prevent, but he is coming up against the limits of the changing world you raise in your OP.
The more fear people feel, the more they gravitate towards authoritarian governments. One irony is that it tends to be the far right groups that seek autocracy, but they are often the first to deny climate change when so many of the things they fear are products of global warming. People seem to be more angry and more fearful, putting angry and fearful leaders in charge, which can only lead to more conflict among nations (not necessarily military, but it's a good bet we will continue to see more violence and more war).
You are asking the right question. It's an almost overwhelming topic. But it's definitely not your imagination. I don't think these are good developments at all.
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