President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia once again accused Western countries of being responsible for the war in Ukraine during his wide-ranging speech via video link on Wednesday at the BRICS summit. He continued his efforts to rally the member countries to support Moscow.
Speaking to fellow leaders of the group, which consists of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, on the second day of the meeting, Mr. Putin announced that Russia would assume chairmanship of the group next year and host a summit in Kazan in October 2024.
Although Moscow initiated its unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine almost 18 months ago, the Kremlin has tried to portray it as a defensive move against a hostile Ukrainian government and antagonism from the United States, Europe, and NATO.
“Our actions in Ukraine are guided by only one thing — to put an end to the war that was unleashed by the West,” Mr. Putin reiterated, according to an English translation of his live video stream provided by the South African Broadcasting Corporation.
Unlike the other leaders of BRICS nations, Mr. Putin did not attend the summit in Johannesburg in person this week due to an International Criminal Court warrant for his arrest on war crimes charges. South Africa, as a party to the treaty that established the court, would have been obligated to arrest him if he had traveled there and had asked him to stay away.
The summit has focused on whether to expand the club and how to counterbalance Western powers. The war in Ukraine, the possibility of a major BRICS expansion, and increased tensions between China and the United States have attracted significant attention to the meeting.
BRICS members view it as the foundation of a diplomatic and economic bloc that can counter Western-dominated alliances like the Group of 7. Numerous other countries have expressed interest in joining, with Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Egypt, and Argentina being among the top contenders.
For China’s leader, Xi Jinping, the summit provides an opportunity to position himself as a leader of the developing world. Beijing’s support for Russia and its assertive stance on issues such as the status of Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its territory, have alienated it from countries in North America, Europe, and Asia.
In China’s escalating rivalry with the United States, Africa has become a battleground for global influence. Beijing has invested billions in countries that have long been neglected by the West, resulting in diplomatic support in international organizations like the United Nations and access to critical minerals necessary for industries like electric vehicles.
Although not explicitly mentioning the United States, Mr. Xi criticized it on Tuesday, portraying it as a bully and a threat to peace in a speech read by China’s commerce minister, Wang Wentao, for undisclosed reasons.
In his speech to the summit…
2023-08-23 10:16:25
Link from www.nytimes.com
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