MOSCOW/KAZAN (EFE).— The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, tried yesterday demonstrate to the West that is not isolated at the inauguration of the summit ofThe BRICS group of emerging economiesattended by the leaders of China, India, Iran and Egypt, the members of what the Kremlin calls “the new world majority.”
“In these years of common efforts the authority and influence of our alliance have increased. We intend to continue strengthening this organization,” Putin said before opening the summit in the Russian city of Kazan.
This is the first international meeting to be held in Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine, which made this country a pariah in the eyes of the rest of the world as it was subject to thousands of sanctions.
In recent weeks, the Kremlin has highlighted that the member countries of the group founded in 2006 are an alternative to the Western monopoly, since they represent a third of the world economy and close to half of the planet’s population.
Putin, who will not attend the G20 summit in Brazil in November due to the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court, received about twenty leaders from Latin America, Asia and Africa in the Tatar capital.
With the spectacular Kazan Kremlin mosque as a backdrop, Putin entertained guests with an informal dinner.
Throughout the day, the Russian leader held meetings with the leaders of China, India, Egypt and South Africa, and with the president of the BRICS New Development Bank, Dilma Rouseff.
The Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, helped Putin by defending the “unbreakable” friendship with Russia, despite the turbulent international situation.
Furthermore, he described the BRICS as a platform that will contribute to the advent of “a structured multipolar order” and “an economic globalization accessible to all.”
Putin, at the BRICS summit, wants to show that he is not isolated by war
Also the president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who did not go to Kazan after suffering a domestic accident, called the host yesterday by phone, and the Turkish leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is traveling to Russia today, as is the Secretary General of the UN, António Guterres, which did not go down well in kyiv.
The war in Ukraine was present in all the conversations. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Putin that his country supports a solution to the conflict exclusively by peaceful means.
“As I said in the past, we believe that the problem should be resolved through peaceful means. “We fully support the prompt restoration of peace and stability,” he stated.
He stressed that his country has always given priority to human life, which is why, in order to achieve peace, it is willing “to provide any help in the future.”
“The Indian Prime Minister stressed that the dialogue and diplomacy are the way to achieve a solution to the conflict,” added Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov.
The Kremlin also admitted on television that Putin and Xi — whose country and Brazil presented a six-point settlement plan already rejected by Kiev — also devoted “not a little time” to the conflict with Ukraine.
Precisely, Putin has pointed out India, China and Brazil as possible mediators in future peace negotiations with Ukraine, postponed indefinitely by the Kremlin due to the partial Ukrainian occupation of the Kursk region.
In this regard, Yuri Ushakov, the Kremlin’s international advisor, assured that the BRICS countries have already agreed on a final declaration that includes a “common position” on Ukraine.
“No one has raised any objections,” Ushakov said.
One of the intrigues of the summit was to know the identity of the new members of the group that will receive the status of associated states, but the Kremlin poured cold water on them.
BRICS Summit
“The issue of enlargement does not appear (on the agenda). There are different points of view,” Peskov said.
The past On January 1, Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Ethiopia joined the group. while Saudi Arabia and Argentina changed their minds at the last minute.
Countries such as Türkiye, Azerbaijan and Cuba have officially shown interest in entering, as have Venezuela, Nicaragua, Thailand and Malaysia.
Lula assured last week that he will defend the balance of all regions of the world in the expansion of BRICS, where to join one must reject unilateral sanctions and support the reform of the UN Security Council.
Within BRICS there is no consensus for enlargement and there does not seem to be any when it comes to looking for an alternative to the dollar, since, according to analysts, India refuses to let that currency be the Chinese yuan.
The UN will be represented
UN Secretary General António Guterres will attend the BRICS summit and meet with Putin.
Deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said Guterres will go to Kazan – he did not specify the time of the trip – “as he did previously at (the group’s previous summit in) South Africa, as has always been his custom when attending meetings of organizations with a large number of important member states, such as the G7 or the G20.”
He added that the nations that make up the BRICS “represent almost half of humanity” and, therefore, the summit “is of great importance for the work of the UN with the member countries” of that organization.
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**Interview with Dr. Elena Ivanova, International Relations Expert**
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us today, Dr. Ivanova. We’ve just seen President Putin host the BRICS summit in Kazan. What do you think he aimed to achieve by holding this summit?
**Dr. Ivanova:** Thank you for having me. Putin’s primary goal was to showcase that Russia is not as isolated as many in the West believe. By gathering leaders from emerging economies like China, India, Brazil, and others, he’s reinforcing the narrative that BRICS represents a significant counterbalance to Western powers. It’s a strategic move to underscore that these countries are forming a new bloc with substantial economic influence.
**Interviewer:** How significant is the attendance of leaders like Xi Jinping and Narendra Modi at this summit for Russia?
**Dr. Ivanova:** Their presence is very significant. Xi Jinping openly defended Russia in the context of their “unbreakable friendship,” while Modi emphasized peace and dialogue. This indicates a level of support that helps legitimize Russia’s standing in the international arena, especially amidst ongoing sanctions and geopolitical tensions stemming from the Ukraine war.
**Interviewer:** The war in Ukraine is a critical point of discussion within the summit. How do you think BRICS leaders view their collective role regarding this conflict?
**Dr. Ivanova:** The leaders seem to recognize the importance of diplomacy and collective dialogue. Modi’s call for a peaceful resolution reflects a shared sentiment among BRICS countries that they can potentially facilitate a mediation role. However, this might also be an attempt to keep the peace with Western nations without taking a definitive stance, as they are all navigating complex international relations.
**Interviewer:** There was speculation about new BRICS members acquiring associated status. What implications would expanding BRICS have for global geopolitics?
**Dr. Ivanova:** Expanding BRICS could significantly alter global dynamics by increasing the political and economic weight of non-Western countries. It would send a message about the shift towards a multipolar world, potentially diminishing Western dominance. If more nations join, it could lead to greater collaboration among emerging economies, creating alternative economic policies and alliances that may challenge existing Western frameworks.
**Interviewer:** Lastly, with Putin not attending the G20 summit due to international legal issues, what does this say about Russia’s position in global diplomacy?
**Dr. Ivanova:** Putin’s absence from the G20 highlights the fractured nature of global diplomacy today. It underscores Russia’s difficulties in engaging with Western powers while reinforcing the importance it places on alternative forums like BRICS. This shift could lead to a more pronounced divide in international relations, where non-Western alliances might further consolidate their influence as a counter to Western institutions.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Dr. Ivanova, for your insights. It will be interesting to see how these developments unfold in the future.
**Dr. Ivanova:** Thank you for having me, and I look forward to sharing more insights as the global landscape continues to evolve.