Putin wants to build Brics into a new center of power
Published: Tuesday, Oct 22nd 2024, 16:20
Volver a Live Feed
Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin wants to swear the Brics alliance to stronger cooperation, particularly in the financial sector.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied that Moscow's aim was to use Brics to combat the dominance of the US dollar on world markets. However, Putin had previously repeatedly criticized the dominance of the US currency and announced only a few weeks ago that he wanted to establish an independent payment and clearing system within Brics.
"Cooperation within the framework of Brics is not directed against anything or anyone - not against the dollar, not against other currencies. It pursues the sole aim of safeguarding the interests of the countries participating in the format," said Peskov.
The abbreviation Brics stands for the initials of the first five members Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Strict security measures are in place for the summit, which runs until Thursday in the Russian city of Kazan, because China's President Xi Jinping, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other heads of state and government are also attending.
Russia wants to circumvent Western sanctions with Brics
This is particularly topical for Moscow in view of the war of aggression against Ukraine: as a result of the war, Western industrialized nations have imposed sanctions against Russia, which have hit the country's financial sector particularly hard. For example, Russia was cut off from the international payment information service Swift and access to dollars and euros was restricted. Putin therefore repeated the proposal to settle bilateral trade in national currencies in Kazan during several talks with his foreign guests such as South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa.
However, Putin also sees the Brics as a political alliance. He is striving to build a new world order without Western dominance. At the same time, however, he also emphasized that the Brics alliance, which now also includes Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates, is not directed against anyone.
Putin hopes for a counterweight to the West
China and India are by far the two most populous countries in the Brics. According to the Kremlin, this also gives the alliance moral authority, as it speaks for the majority of the world's population.
The addition of new members should give the organization further weight. In total, more than 20 heads of state and government have arrived. Russia sees them as potential candidates for membership. The rapprochement of NATO member Turkey is interesting in this respect. Its President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also flew to Kazan.
However, China's head of state and party leader Xi Jinping is considered the most important guest. China's backing is important for Putin's continued warfare in Ukraine. Like Moscow, Beijing is also interested in breaking the dominance of the West and sees the Brics as a possible instrument for this.
Embrace with modes and mediation offers
In any case, the summit provided Putin with plenty of images on the very first day to refute the narrative that he is internationally isolated because of the war. For example, he warmly embraced India's head of government Narendra Modi at his reception in the Kazan Kremlin.
Modi once again offered the host India's mediation in the Ukraine conflict. "We fully support the restoration of peace and stability as soon as possible," said the Indian head of government. Problems should be solved in a peaceful manner. As India has humanitarian issues in mind, the country is in contact with all sides and is prepared to provide "any kind of support" to end the war. Modi said that he wanted to discuss the issue in greater depth during further talks with Putin.
Modi had already visited Russia once before in July. His gesture of embracing Putin caused anger in Ukraine, as a Russian missile attack had previously destroyed a children's hospital in Kiev. Later, Modi also hugged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during his visit to Kiev.
UN Secretary-General also attends talks
Putin is also scheduled to hold talks with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Kazan. According to the Kremlin, they will also discuss the crises in the Middle East and Ukraine. While Russian media justified the visit with the increased importance of the Brics for the West, criticism came from Ukraine.
The fact that Guterres ignored the peace summit in Switzerland and is now traveling to Kazan is a wrong choice, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry announced on the X platform.
Guterres visited both Russia and Ukraine after the start of the war in order to find a peaceful solution. With UN mediation, Moscow and Kiev concluded the grain deal in the summer of 2022, which allowed Ukraine to export some of its agricultural produce by sea despite the war. One year later, however, Russia terminated this agreement on the grounds that Ukraine was allegedly using the sea corridor set up for grain freighters for arms deliveries. No concrete results are expected from Guterres' current visit to Kazan.
©Keystone/SDA
Spanish 
English 
German 
French 
Arabic