Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Russian President Vladimir Putin for a quick resolution to the Ukraine conflict during their meeting at the Brics summit in Kazan. The gathering, featuring leaders from various nations, aims to challenge Western efforts to isolate Russia amid its military advancements in Ukraine and growing alliances with China, Iran, and North Korea. The summit emphasizes a multipolar world, as Putin seeks alternatives to Western economic dominance, notably against the backdrop of ongoing sanctions and geopolitical tensions.
On Tuesday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an appeal to Vladimir Putin in Russia for a prompt return to peace in Ukraine, ahead of their upcoming discussions at the Brics summit in Kazan.
The summit, which assembles leaders from around twenty nations including China, India, South Africa, and Turkey alongside Mr. Putin, seeks to expose the shortcomings of the West’s strategy aimed at isolating the Russian president due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Additionally, the gathering aims to promote the goal of challenging Western dominance, especially as Moscow continues to strengthen its military position in Ukraine and build alliances with key adversaries of the USA, including China, Iran, and North Korea.
‘We believe that conflicts should only be settled peacefully. We fully support endeavors to swiftly restore peace and stability,’ Modi stated while addressing Putin.
The Indian Prime Minister noted that he remained ‘in constant contact’ with Putin, who acknowledged the ‘strategic partnership’ between Russia and India, a relationship that has drawn criticism from the West due to India’s substantial purchases of Russian oil since 2022.
In this context, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed his support, referring to Russia as ‘an ally’ and ‘a precious friend’ during the meeting.
Putin responded by reiterating his desire to ‘strengthen ties with nations across the African continent,’ where Moscow is making advancements through the deployment of mercenaries and military advisors.
– Challenging Dollar Dominance –
Ukraine is also expected to be a topic of discussion on Thursday, with a meeting scheduled between Vladimir Putin and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
However, the UN has yet to confirm this meeting, which would mark the first since April 2022, shortly after Russia began its offensive in Ukraine.
Following Modi’s lead in seeking to navigate Western challenges, Putin is also slated to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the summit.
Putin commenced his diplomatic activities on Tuesday with a meeting with Dilma Rousseff, the Brazilian president of the New Development Bank.
This meeting reflects the ongoing pursuit of a multipolar world, particularly in economic terms. The Russian leader expressed his hopes for increasing ‘settlements in national currencies’ among Brics nations to minimize geopolitical risks.
In light of Western economic sanctions and the exclusion of its major banks from the Swift international payment system, Russia is advocating for an alternative financial framework to counteract dollar hegemony.
On Wednesday, Putin is scheduled to engage in discussions with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose NATO member nation has expressed interest in joining Brics, and Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, however, canceled his trip due to an injury and will instead participate via videoconference, as reported by the Brazilian presidency.
– An Alternative Path –
Targeted by an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court in March 2023 over allegations regarding the deportation of Ukrainian children, of which Kyiv accuses Moscow (which denies the claims), Putin’s international travel is limited.
The Kremlin regards this significant diplomatic event, touted as ‘the most important diplomatic gathering ever held in Russia,’ as essential to showcasing that ‘there is an alternative to Western pressure and that a multipolar world is a genuine development,’ according to Russian political analyst Konstantin Kalachev.
Moscow frames its actions in Ukraine not as a conquest but as a response to perceived American imperialism, despite its claimed annexations of Ukrainian regions following the annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Conversely, both the West and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky assert that Russia aims to assert dominance over its neighbors and establish a rule based on strength on the global stage.
Initially formed in 2009 with Brazil, Russia, India, and China, the Brics group expanded by including South Africa in 2010, adopting its name from the first letters of these nations in English. This year, four additional countries—Ethiopia, Iran, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates—joined the bloc.
The only noticeable absence at the Kazan summit was Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, raising speculation about potential divisions between two major energy powers.