BRICS Leaders Discuss Ukraine Conflict at Summit

By Vladimir Soldatkin and Guy Faulconbridge
KAZAN, Russia (Reuters) – Leaders from BRICS, including China's Xi Jinping and India's Narendra Modi, engaged in discussions about the ongoing war in Ukraine with President Vladimir Putin. The summit, hosted by Putin, emphasized the Kremlin's aim to showcase that Western efforts to isolate Russia have failed.

BRICS, a term originally coined by Goldman Sachs two decades ago, signifies the rising economic influence of Brazil, Russia, India, and China. Today, this group represents 45% of the global population and 35% of the world's economy. However, concerns persist regarding the ability of such a diverse coalition to expand effectively while maintaining a common geopolitical agenda and achieving tangible economic results.

Putin opened the summit by noting that over 30 countries expressed interest in joining BRICS, stressing the need for balanced expansion to ensure the group's effectiveness. He remarked, "It would be wrong to ignore the unprecedented interest of the countries of the Global South and East in strengthening contacts with BRICS."

The summit also addressed serious regional conflicts, particularly in the Middle East and Ukraine. Global finance chiefs are meeting in Washington amid these tensions, alongside concerns about the slowing Chinese economy and the potential for renewed trade conflicts with the U.S.

China and India are significant purchasers of Russian oil, which forms the backbone of Russia's foreign currency earnings. Russia ranks as the world's second-largest oil exporter.

Initially started with the BRIC nations, which included Brazil, Russia, India, and China, BRICS has expanded to include South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the UAE, with Saudi Arabia still awaiting formal membership.

The summit gathered over 20 leaders, including President Xi, Prime Minister Modi, President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the UAE, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Discussions on potential expansion criteria were highlighted, with a list of 13 candidate countries identified for potential future membership.

The ongoing war in Ukraine lingered over the discussions, with Modi publicly expressing a desire for peace. Xi discussed the war privately with Putin. Russia currently occupies about 20% of Ukraine, including Crimea, which was annexed in 2014, as well as significant portions of the eastern regions.

Putin asserted that Russia has no intentions of conceding the regions it claims, emphasizing that its security interests need consideration in Europe. The final communique from BRICS is expected to reference proposals from China and Brazil aimed at resolving the conflict, amidst accusations from Ukraine that Beijing and Brasília are acting on behalf of Moscow.