Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to challenge West as he is going head-to-head against Western leaders. He is ready to showcase Moscow’s global clout in his country hosting the largest BRICS summit in years from October 22-24, 2024. The summit, which will take place in Kazan, is the biggest international event to be held in Russia since its invasion of Ukraine.
Apparently, with a host of leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, in attendance, Putin attempts to prove that Western moves to isolate Russia have failed.
Putin to Challenge West at BRICS, Set to Gather Over 12 International Leaders
Putin will do his best to make the BRICS summit likable for the rival West by gathering about two dozen international leaders-many of whom are high profile-including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
Reflecting the growing salience of BRICS, a political grouping created to challenge Western hegemony in economics, they are presidents who have either retained or solidified their ties with Moscow. The group has also expanded to include states including Egypt, Iran, and the UAE, although others such as Saudi Arabia and Argentina have refused to join.
At a time when BRICS countries are growingly getting frustrated with the structure of global governance that is led by the West, particularly on the economic issues, the summit would come at just the right time.
BRICS Will be More Powerful Than US Dollar Hegemony
The BRICS will now be known as a more powerful, better alternative to US dollar hegemony and developing financial systems that do not depend on the West-at least partly through alternatives for SWIFT, the worldwide payment system controlled by the West. Members of the group, like China, have already started using national currencies for their trade and thus more strongly underscore their financial independence.
For Putin, therefore, the approaching BRICS summit in Kazan is an extremely symbolic and strategic opportunity. With the International Criminal Court recently issuing an arrest warrant against him, he has been locked out of most international forums, including the BRICS summit a year ago in South Africa. Today, with Putin set to counterbalance the West with the BRICS summit, he’s expected to fortify Russia’s role as a global power, this time with the boost of a growing coalition of nations.