Russian President Vladimir Putin has presented himself as the leader of an international coalition of states at the BRICS summit in Kazan, a city of millions on the Volga River.
In the official opening photo, he posed as the host, flanked by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, portraying a stronger and increasingly confident alliance that the head of the Kremlin aims to build as a counterbalance to the West.
The acronym BRICS is derived from the initial letters of the founding member countries Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The alliance now also includes Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates.
Putin emphasizes strong growth and authority of BRICS
The alliance includes not only the two most populous countries in the world – China and India – it now generates 36.7% of the world economy when adjusted for purchasing power, Putin said on Wednesday.
He stated that the share is increasing: While Western economies stagnate, the BRICS countries’ economies will grow by 3.8% in 2024-25, he said.
Putin wants to build the BRICS into a counterweight to the West. According to Putin, it is not only about economic and financial issues but also security policy. The countries involved in the alliance share the same values, he said.
Countries of the Global South seeking to join
The success reportedly makes BRICS attractive for more countries from the Global South. There are more than 30 countries wanting to join the alliance, said Putin. According to Kremlin statements, more than 20 heads of state and government, mainly from Africa, Latin America, and Asia, have travelled to Kazan.
“Undoubtedly, it would be wrong to ignore the unprecedented interest of the countries of the Global South and East in strengthening ties with BRICS,” said Putin. However, he added, an expansion should not come at the expense of the alliance’s efficiency.
Putin discusses Ukraine war successes at BRICS summit
The Russian war against Ukraine was reportedly a recurring topic in Kazan. The previous day, Modi had renewed India’s offer to mediate a peaceful resolution to the conflict. The war also came up on Wednesday.
Putin highlighted the successes of his army in the war against Ukraine to his interlocutors, according to Kremlin sources.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that the Ukraine “crisis,” as he termed it, played a role in all of Putin’s bilateral meetings.
“[Putin] emphasized the Ukrainian side’s unwillingness to engage in any kind of talks and the very, very positive momentum for the Russian armed forces on the front,” said Peskov, according to Russian news agency reports.
On Tuesday, Putin reportedly held individual talks with the leaders from China, India, South Africa and Egypt.
Militarily, Russia currently controls less territory in Ukraine than shortly after the start of the invasion in 2022. However, Russian troops have been consistently pushing back the exhausted Ukrainian army, step by step, in the east for months.
Middle East conflict overshadows Ukraine
Chinese President Xi called for de-escalation in Ukraine and the Middle East conflict during the summit. He said that the alliance should be the guardians of common security.
A rapid de-escalation of the situation in Ukraine must be sought, he stated, adding that the battlefield should not expand. In the Gaza Strip, a ceasefire and an end to the killing are needed, Xi said.
The closing declaration from Kazan can be seen as a success for Russian diplomacy, with the member countries condemning Israel’s attacks on the Gaza Strip and Lebanon.
Ukraine, however, was only mentioned in one sentence in the document. It stated that there are differing positions on the problem. There was substantial criticism of the sanctions imposed on Russia by the West due to the war.
Criticism of the United Nations
The BRICS members’ demands for more influence in world politics were also evident in the repeated criticism of the United Nations.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa reiterated the call for reform of the UN Security Council.
It does not represent the interests of the global community and therefore lacks the means to meet the world’s desire for peace, said Ramaphosa. The UN Security Council is failing its mandate, he said.
BRICS members should advance the reorganization of the council as important actors in shaping a new multipolar world order, Ramaphosa said.
The demands for UN reform were also included in the final declaration.
Criticism of UN chief for attending summit
Under these circumstances, the participation of UN Secretary General António Guterres at the BRICS summit is contentious. The Portuguese diplomat is expected to meet Putin on Thursday and make a public appearance at the summit.
Criticism has already emerged from Ukraine, with the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry writing ahead of his trip that Guterres made a wrong choice by travelling to Kazan instead of attending the peace summit in Switzerland. Estonia and Lithuania also criticized Guterres’ attendance at the summit.
Associates of Guterres countered the accusations by stating that he had attended BRICS meetings in the past as well.
The organization, they said, is so internationally significant that it cannot be neglected. In Kazan, Guterres will reportedly reiterate his well-known position that there must be a just peace for Ukraine. The corridor over the Black Sea for the export of Ukrainian grain, closed by Russia a year ago, must also be reopened.
