BRICS Summit in Russia: A Platform for New Alliances

The BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, brings together leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, along with other nations such as Turkey, Iran, and the UAE. This gathering highlights the bloc's ambition to foster a multipolar world and reduce Western dominance. Central to the discussions is the establishment of a BRICS-led payment system as an alternative to SWIFT, following the exclusion of Russian banks from the global network.

Russian President Vladimir Putin leverages the summit to demonstrate his continued international relevance despite the ongoing Ukraine conflict. Notable attendees include China's Xi Jinping, India's Narendra Modi, and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The summit also serves as a platform for bilateral dialogues, with Putin expected to meet UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

The expansion of BRICS membership to include nations like Egypt, Ethiopia, and the UAE underscores the group's increasing geopolitical influence. The bloc aims to enhance cooperation in infrastructure, energy, and technology, while promoting its New Development Bank as a tool for investment in green energy and infrastructure projects.

India's participation indicates its desire to balance historical ties with Russia against Western pressures. Meanwhile, China's engagement reflects its interest in promoting an alternative to the US-led unipolar order. The absence of Brazil's President Lula, due to a domestic accident, will see him participate via videoconference, with discussions on a peace plan for Ukraine expected to take place.

Overall, the summit is poised to reinforce BRICS as a counterbalance to existing global power structures, seeking to expand its economic and political clout on the world stage.