The article pretty neatly avoids any considerations of Britain's history. When she was at the height of her leadership of the West (Victorian period) she had a similar attitude of being detached from mainland Europe. Disraeli (PM) even called Britain a primarily Asiatic power

The article also blurs Western values with "American foreign policy". Engaging with powers we don't see eye to eye with in non-military ways should be seen as expressing western values.