16th BRICS summit: a test of Moscow's influence in world affairs

Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to host leaders for the 16th annual BRICS summit, on Teusday aiming to demonstrate that Moscow remains engaged on the global stage showcasing BRICS coalition as a counterbalance to Western influence in international politics and trade.

Putin is set to meet with several global leaders, including Xi Jinping of China, Narendra Modi of India, Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, and Masoud Pezeshkian of Iran.

They will gather in Kazan, Russia, on Tuesday for a BRICS summit, countering expectations that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and an international arrest warrant for Putin would isolate him.

Raymond Matlala, Chairman of the South African BRICS Youth Association, believes that "BRICS is the voice of the Global South in this multilateral platforms where the West dominate. Really BRICS can take us out of that. And it's the only formation if you look at the G20, whatever, you can name them, African Union, you can name them - no other platform or association can take out, can rescue the Global South from the current global order. It's only the BRICS with the powerful voice and collaboration."

Russian officials are viewing this as a significant achievement.

Yuri Ushakov, an aide to Putin on foreign policy, announced that 32 countries have confirmed their participation, with over 20 sending their leaders.

Ushakov mentioned that Putin is expected to conduct approximately 20 bilateral meetings, and the summit may become “the largest foreign policy event ever hosted” in Russia.

Alexander Gabuyev, the director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, states that Russia aims to crete a platform where it can trade with its partners without the concern of sanctions. "The Russian idea is that if you create a platform on which there is only China, Russia, India and Brazil and Saudi Arabia, many countries that are vital partners for the U.S., the U.S. will not be ready to go after this platform and sanction it. So Russia will have a lot of breathing space. And I think that the West is working behind the closed doors also with these countries trying to discourage them from deeper integration," he said.

For Putin, the summit is important personally because it shows the failure of Western efforts to isolate him, Gabuyev says.

Analysts suggest that the Kremlin aims to project a united front with its international allies while facing ongoing tensions with the West.

Additionally, it seeks to engage in negotiations that could strengthen Russia’s economy and support its military efforts.

For the other participants, this presents an opportunity to enhance their influence and promote their own narratives.

The alliance, which seeks to provide an alternative to the Western-dominated global order, has seen rapid growth this year with new members such as Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia.

This year's summit may pave the way for further growth, as Putin has extended invitations to over two dozen countries that have either applied for or are contemplating joining the expanding group, which includes Azerbaijan, Belarus, Turkey, and Mongolia.

In 2006, Brazil, Russia, India, and China established the BRIC group, which became BRICS in 2010 with the inclusion of South Africa.

The purpose of this coalition was to unite significant developing nations as a counterbalance to the political and economic influence of wealthier countries in North America and Western Europe.

From the beginning, BRICS members have contended that Western nations hold sway over key global institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, which provide financial assistance to governments, highlighting the need for a counterbalance to amplify the voices of emerging economies.

In 2014, BRICS launched a New Development Bank aimed at financing infrastructure projects, and in January, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the U.A.E. were invited to join.

However, a Saudi official later clarified that Riyadh had not formally joined the group.

Argentina was also invited, but President Javier Milei withdrew in December 2023 shortly after taking office.

Nevertheless, the newly enlarged group represents around 3.5 billion people—45 percent of the global population—and their combined economies exceed $28.5 trillion, accounting for approximately 28 percent of the world economy.

If Saudi Arabia were to join, BRICS members would collectively produce about 44 percent of the world's crude oil.