On Tuesday, the first day of a major summit, some of Moscow’s key allies said they hoped the Kremlin would show that Western attempts to isolate Russia over the Ukraine offensive have failed. They rallied in support of President Putin.
President Putin has invited around 20 world leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to a three-day meeting of the BRICS group in the central city of Kazan. do.
The Kremlin leader hopes to use this forum to challenge the West and advance his idea of a “multipolar world” as a bulwark against US “hegemony.”
The gathering is the biggest diplomatic event since Russia sent troops to Ukraine in February 2022 and last year’s summit in South Africa after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin. This was done after he withdrew his attendance plan.
Putin praised Moscow’s close ties and “strategic partnership” with its chosen partners during a series of bilateral talks with Xi and Modi on Tuesday.
However, concerns about Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine, which has been difficult throughout the third year, continued to cast a shadow over the tournament.
Prime Minister Modi has cast himself as a potential peacemaker and called for an early end to the conflict in a televised meeting with President Putin.
After the two men shook hands and hugged, Prime Minister Modi told President Putin, “We are in constant contact regarding the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.”
“We believe that disputes should be resolved only peacefully. We fully support efforts to quickly restore peace and stability,” the Indian leader added.
India has walked a delicate tightrope since the Ukraine conflict began, pledging humanitarian aid to Kiev while avoiding clear condemnation of Moscow’s actions.
Prime Minister Modi visited Kiev in August and Moscow in July to encourage talks, but little progress has been made in these efforts.
The Russian government has continued to make steady progress this year on the battlefield in eastern Ukraine as it strengthens ties with China, Iran, North Korea and others.
~ “World of Chaos” ~
Meanwhile, Mr Xi praised the “deep” relations between China and Russia in a “chaotic” world.
President Xi said the relationship “has provided a strong impetus to the development, revitalization and modernization of the two countries.”
President Putin said he considers China-China relations to be the basis of global “stability.”
He told President Xi that “Russia-China cooperation in world affairs serves as one of the stabilizing factors on the world stage. In order to ensure global security and a just world order, we We intend to further strengthen our cooperation on all multilateral platforms.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state media that the two leaders discussed the Ukraine conflict behind closed doors, but did not provide details.
“There was an exchange of views regarding Ukraine,” the spokesperson said.
“In general, there was an important concentration of positions when it came to the international agenda,” Peskov added.
Ukraine has strongly criticized China for supporting President Vladimir Putin, accusing Beijing of supporting and enabling Moscow’s attacks.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who has also called for an end to the conflict, praised Moscow as a “valued ally” and friend during a meeting with Putin.
“We continue to see Russia as a valued ally and a valued friend, who has supported us from the beginning, from the days of the fight against apartheid to the present day,” said Prime Minister Ramaphosa.
– “Geopolitical rival” –
The summit will be held under tight security in Kazan.
Areas around the Republic of Tatarstan, about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from the Ukrainian border, have previously been targeted by Kiev’s drone attacks.
According to local media, movement around the city center was restricted, residents were advised to stay at home and university students were removed from their dormitories.
The official agenda includes Putin’s vision for a BRICS-led payments system to rival SWIFT, the international financial network from which Russian banks were cut off in 2022, and the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
Separate talks are scheduled for Wednesday between Putin and Erdogan, as well as Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres is scheduled to meet with President Putin on Thursday, a visit that was condemned by Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry.
Farhan Haq, Guterres’ deputy spokesman, told reporters on Tuesday that the U.N. chief was scheduled to meet with “a large number” of leaders in Kazan.
Asked about his meeting with Putin, Guterres said he would “reaffirm well-known positions” on the Ukraine conflict and outline “conditions for a just peace.”
BRICS was founded in 2009 with four countries: Brazil, Russia, India, and China, and has since expanded to include emerging countries such as South Africa, Egypt, and Iran.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi met with President Putin on Tuesday night, citing Russia’s “effective contribution” to national projects such as the country’s first nuclear power plant and encouraging “the development of bilateral relations.” ” was praised.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrived unannounced. His country is not a member of BRICS, but is keen to join. He called the group “the epicenter of a new multipolar world,” Russian news agencies reported.
The United States rejects the idea that the BRICS could become “geopolitical rivals,” but has expressed concern about Russia’s use of diplomatic muscle as the conflict in Ukraine escalates.
Bar/GV
