Putin Advocates for BRICS as a Counterbalance to Western Influence at Kazan Summit

Putin Champions BRICS as a Counterweight to Western Influence

During the closing session of the recent BRICS summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin extolled the group’s significance as a counterbalance to what he termed the West’s “perverse methods.” In his address, he accused Western nations of attempting to undermine the rising influence of the Global South through a myriad of tactics, including “illegal unilateral sanctions, blatant protectionism, manipulation of currency and stock markets, and relentless foreign influence that is purportedly aimed at promoting democracy, human rights, and climate change initiatives.”

“These perverse methods and approaches — to be frank — give rise to new conflicts and exacerbate existing disagreements,” Putin asserted. He pointed to the situation in Ukraine as a case in point, claiming it serves as a tool to create critical threats to Russia’s security while disregarding the country’s vital interests and legitimate concerns. “Moreover, the rights of Russian-speaking populations are being overlooked,” he added.

Putin and the Kremlin have long defended their full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which began in early 2022, by alleging that the West has been manipulating Ukraine against Moscow. They argue that the Ukrainian government has acted vindictively toward its Russian-speaking citizens. However, the Kremlin has yet to provide concrete evidence to substantiate these claims.

Money Talks

At the Kazan summit, Russia advocated for the establishment of a new payment system designed to provide an alternative to the global bank messaging network SWIFT. This initiative aims to help Moscow evade Western sanctions imposed due to its actions in Ukraine. In a joint declaration released on Wednesday, the participating nations expressed their concern regarding “the disruptive effects of unlawful unilateral coercive measures, including illegal sanctions.” They praised efforts to develop “faster, low-cost, more efficient, transparent, safe, and inclusive cross-border payment instruments” based on minimizing trade barriers and ensuring non-discriminatory access.

Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized the bloc’s role in promoting global security. He noted that China and Brazil have proposed a peace plan for Ukraine and are working to garner broader international support for this initiative. However, Ukraine has rejected the proposal outright. “We must promote the de-escalation of tensions as swiftly as possible and pave the way for a political resolution,” Xi stated on Thursday.

Moscow Elated

Putin, who engaged in a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit, was scheduled to meet with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, marking Guterres’ first visit to Russia in over two years. Guterres faced criticism from Kyiv due to his decision to accept an invitation from the Kremlin to attend the Kazan summit while declining to participate in President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Peace Formula summit. Additionally, critics have condemned the UN Secretary-General for meeting with Putin despite the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for the Russian leader, which accuses him of war crimes.

During the BRICS Plus session, Guterres called for an immediate halt to the hostilities in Ukraine. “We require peace in Ukraine — a just peace that aligns with the UN Charter, international law, and General Assembly resolutions,” he urged.

The Kremlin’s state-controlled media heralded the summit as a significant diplomatic achievement, suggesting that it has left the West anxious about losing its global dominance. State television programs emphasized that BRICS nations represent nearly half of the world’s population, positioning themselves as the “global majority” and a challenge to Western “hegemony.” TV hosts extensively quoted Western media, underscoring the summit’s implications for Moscow’s isolation. “The West, including the US, Washington, Brussels, and London, has effectively isolated themselves,” remarked Yevgeny Popov, a prominent host on state channel Rossiya 1.

Initially founded in 2009, the BRICS alliance included Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Since then, it has expanded to incorporate Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. Countries such as Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Malaysia have formally expressed interest in joining, with several others also showing enthusiasm for membership.

The summit attracted leaders or representatives from 36 nations, prompting the Kremlin to label it as “the largest foreign policy event ever hosted” by Russia. However, the absence of heads of state from Brazil, Cuba, and Serbia raised questions about the actual strength and influence of the BRICS bloc.

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