Defiant Putin concludes global summit aimed at reshaping global order: NPR

MOSCOW, Russia – The Kremlin’s message is this: We still have many friends in the world.

Over three days in the Russian city of Kazan, Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted more than 20 leaders from many of the world’s fastest-growing countries. With every photo, every bilateral meeting, and every handshake, the West’s attempts to isolate Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine appear to have failed.

Speaking to international journalists in the final hours of the summit in the Russian city of Kazan, Putin dismissed reports of conspiratorial ties with Trump as an old story and described reports of Russia trying to sow chaos in Western politics as “nonsense.”

Putin said that the future of Russia’s relations with the United States will depend on the next administration. But he later added that Moscow would not be shy about escalating if necessary.

Putin also commented on Western intelligence reports that North Korean forces are now in Russia and preparing to deploy to Ukraine, saying: “If satellite images show something, it must be there.”

He then pointed to the newly ratified security agreement between Russia and North Korea, adding that he had never doubted Pyongyang’s commitment to the treaty.

This international gathering was for the 16th annual summit of BRICS+, an acronym derived from initial members Brazil, Russia, India, China, and soon after South Africa, when the economic bloc was first launched in 2009.

A “+” sign has been added to reflect the addition of Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates to this year’s ranks. Since then other countries – including Türkiye, Azerbaijan and Malaysia – have applied for membership as well.

More countries may be on the way.

The final day of the summit was billed as an “outreach” to countries of the Global South – a primary focus of Russian foreign policy in the wake of Ukraine.

Addressing a roundtable of about 30 countries, Putin told BRICS+ members and guests that their countries “share similar ambitions, values ​​and vision for a new democratic world order.”

He criticized Western countries for hoarding global wealth and goods, and even concepts such as human rights, climate change, and democracy.

From left, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attend a family photo session before the Awareness/BRICS Plus coordination session at the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, October. 24, 2024.

Alexander Nemenov/Pool AFP

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The BRICS+ countries already make up about 45% of the world’s population and about 35% of global economic output. Most of them are from China.

Russia has framed this dynamic as evidence that BRICS+ represents an emerging global majority that, taken together, is stronger than the West and is willing to flex its economic and political muscle against the United States and its European allies.

hunting? Many may agree with this, but not everyone feels the sadness that Moscow feels these days.

Founding members India and Brazil view BRICS+ more as a way to do battle with the West than as a forum for expanding trade opportunities.

The group is also hampered by major regional rivalries, such as those between India and China, which have traditionally weakened its influence.

Some – especially Beijing and New Delhi – have openly benefited from access to Russian oil and gas exports as a result of Western sanctions. But even Russia’s closest trading partners are not willing to publicly support Moscow’s actions in Ukraine.

Indian Prime Minister Nirendra Modi called on Putin to end the war “quickly.” Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who has publicly pledged a “borderless partnership” with Putin, has supported a negotiated settlement.

When asked about BRICS members’ thoughts on the war, Putin acknowledged that most simply wanted the war to end — even as the Kremlin leader appeared to acknowledge reports that North Korean troops had been deployed to Russia on their way to battle in Ukraine.

BRICS+ group statement He kindly thanked the members for their efforts for peace.

In contrast, statements about the crisis in the Middle East, and even the protection of wild cats, were much more forceful. In fact, it has been difficult to arrive at concrete outcomes from the BRICS+Kazan summit beyond these statements of intent.

The much-regarded Russian idea of ​​an alternative global payment system — in effect, an alternative solution to doing business under Western sanctions — has faded for the time being.

“We have not created an alternative and we will not do so,” Putin said when asked by Russian state media about his plans. Turning west.

Perhaps the most unifying theme of the summit was: Chuck chuck – A local Kazan treatment given to (visibly happy) foreign dignitaries upon arrival.

BRICS+ may indeed be the future, but its power remains mostly symbolic for now.

This seemed to suit my hosts this year just fine. A senior Kremlin adviser described the event as “the biggest foreign policy event ever” in Russia.

“BRICS has demonstrated the limited power of the West over the rest of the world,” wrote Sergei Markov, the pro-Kremlin political analyst who declared the event a success.

He added: “At the moment, it appears that they have not isolated Russia.”

“This in itself is the main achievement of the BRICS.”