West Prepares for Diplomatic Defeat of Russia: Where Will the Main Battle Take Place?

The West Prepares for a Diplomatic Rout of Russia: Where the Main Battle Will Take Place

USA Enters from the Flank At the request of the Ukrainian authorities, the advisor to the US President on national security, Jake Sullivan, and Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland, met in Copenhagen with those who remain neutral in the conflict between Kiev and Moscow. According to the Financial Times, the Americans held talks with representatives of India, Brazil, China, and South Africa—countries that, together with Russia, form BRICS.

They were received at the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and no information about any agreements has been reported since the event was informal. According to Reuters, they discussed the "basic principles of peace" in Ukraine. Meanwhile, the German television channel ARD reported that an official meeting could take place in Brussels in July.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the United States during these same days. It is noteworthy that in 2005, his US visa was revoked because Washington believed that, as the leader of the state of Gujarat, he persecuted religious minorities. In 2014, Modi became the head of the government, and the ban was forgotten, culminating in a high-level visit nine years later.

Biden spoke with him for about two hours. Afterward, the heads of state addressed the press. They noted the increased tension and destabilizing actions in the East and South China Seas. China was not mentioned, but the hint was clear. They expressed readiness to cooperate in space exploration and high technology. They also announced the settlement of several trade disputes.

Modi refrained from directly criticizing Russia but stated that India is not neutral and advocates for a peaceful resolution of the conflict. "This is an era of dialogue and diplomacy," he emphasized. All countries must respect international law and the sovereignty of other states, the Prime Minister added.

Paris Pushes Ahead Meanwhile, Emmanuel Macron is seeking an invitation to the August BRICS summit in South Africa. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the African republic stated that the decision on this matter will be made personally by President Cyril Ramaphosa. They specified that if Macron is invited, it will be the first such case in the organization's history.

Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Ryabkov informed that in Moscow, they consider the visit of the French President inappropriate. Macron pursues a hostile policy and shares NATO's stance on delivering a "strategic defeat" to the Kremlin. The diplomat reminded that only those countries that do not declare unilateral sanctions or sanctions regimes can be candidates for BRICS.

Sanctions Against Current Members of the Organization: Ryabkov Hopes Russia's Opinion Will Be Taken into Account.

On the other hand, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Catherine Colonna, pointed out that dialogue is useful even when parties do not agree with each other. And she sees nothing wrong with Macron attending the BRICS summit.

In addition, at the initiative of the Élysée Palace, a summit on the new global financial pact was held in Paris on June 22-23. Macron wants to foster cooperation between the North and the South in addressing common problems such as poverty alleviation and climate change. Representatives from 130 countries were invited to the summit, but Russia was not invited because, as the organizers put it, Moscow was "temporarily out of the game."

Deceptive Neutrality

The BRICS summit is scheduled to take place on August 22 in Johannesburg, the largest city in South Africa. At the end of May, Western media discussed the possibility of moving the talks to China, as Cape Town recognizes the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court and is obligated to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin if he sets foot in the country. However, the South African Ministry of Foreign Affairs put an end to speculations on this matter, guaranteeing diplomatic immunity to all participants in accordance with the UN Conventions of 1946 and 1947.

Fedor Lukyanov, the Editor-in-Chief of "Russia in Global Affairs," explains that BRICS members cannot be perceived as allies of Moscow in the conflict with Ukraine. They strive to maintain neutrality and call for peace. This is what sets them apart from the collective West, which places all responsibility on the Kremlin.

"The US and its allies are trying to pull BRICS to their side. But it is unlikely to succeed. The essence of the organization is to make independent decisions rather than follow someone's lead. Its participants are for themselves and for the stability that benefits them. There are currently no grounds to change this position," says the political scientist.

The West is trying to rectify the mistakes made in 2022, he continues. If it used to be believed that the international community should default to joining the US and the European Union, now Washington and Brussels are persuading the rest of the world to stand alongside them. However, according to Lukyanov, they are still too arrogant and do not offer India or South Africa anything that would make them radically reconsider their foreign policy.