On Thursday, Russia’s Putin cautioned that the escalating tensions in the Middle East are “deteriorating” at the 2024 BRICS Summit hosted in the Russian city of Kazan. Putin stated that Russia’s preparedness to address the challenge of de-escalating tensions in the region and prevent the potential spread of war. As a close ally of Iran, Putin mentioned “Russia’s role in the settlement of the conflict in the Middle East” at the summit.
“Naturally, people are afraid of exacerbation of the global situation that has to do with escalation in different conflict zones, in the Middle East, in Ukraine. But we are not the ones doing the escalation. It’s the other side that’s always doing this escalation,” Putin remarked.
On the same day, Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General, addressed heads of state at the BRICS summit, emphasizing the “need for peace in Gaza, Lebanon, Ukraine, and Sudan.” The UN leader underscored the role of the “global family” in remedying “global challenges” in his opening remarks at the summit. Guterres reiterated the urgent need for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza and an “immediate cessation of hostilities” in Lebanon, as well as an end to the Russia-Ukraine war.
In response to Guterres, Putin addressed reports from the US and Ukraine regarding the deployment of North Korean troops to fight in Ukraine. According to Putin, the actions of those two countries under their mutual defense agreements are their concern.
The three-day summit hosted by Russia also focused on enhancing financial cooperation, including the development of alternatives to Western-dominated payment systems, initiatives to resolve regional conflicts, and the expansion of the BRICS group.
Originally founded in 2009 with Brazil, Russia, India, and China, South Africa joined the group in 2010. In 2024, the alliance expanded to include the UAE, Iran, Egypt, and Ethiopia, while Saudi Arabia is participating as an invited nation but has yet to officially join. Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Malaysia have formally applied for membership, and several other countries have shown interest in the expanded trade bloc.
Other member nations like China supported Guterres’ call for a ceasefire in conflict zones in the Middle East, stating: “We need to continue to push for a ceasefire in Gaza, relaunch the two-state solution, and stop the spread of war in Lebanon. There should be no more suffering and destruction in Palestine and Lebanon.”
China’s Xi Jinping echoed the power of BRICS members, who act as “stabilizing forces for peace” in a conflicted global arena. A similar sentiment was reinforced by Russia’s Putin, who believed “the goal of BRICS is to create the necessary mechanisms of interaction and create a favorable atmosphere in the common home.”
