In Kazan, Russia, almost 700 miles away from the war in Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin is hosting the annual BRICS summit, a meeting of world leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and other nations. The summit aims to counterbalance U.S.-led Western alliances and showcase Russia’s global alliances despite the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The event is being hailed as one of the largest foreign policy events in Russia.
Among the attendees is 18-year-old Islam Gavrilov, whose father died in the Ukraine conflict. Despite his personal loss, Gavrilov supports Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine and is a member of a pro-Putin youth group. The bloc of nations attending the summit have a mix of conflicting views, but are coming together to negotiate deals to strengthen their economies and bypass Western sanctions.
The summit in Kazan is a platform for developing nations in the Global South to seek alternatives to U.S.-dominated financial hegemony. Despite internal ideological divisions and alliances, the participants are aiming to amplify their voices on the world stage. Security is tight in Kazan, with concerns about potential attacks following previous drone strikes by Ukraine. While Gavrilov hopes for peace negotiations to end the conflict that claimed his father’s life, he questions the purpose and cost of the ongoing war. The summit in Kazan serves as an opportunity for global leaders to negotiate deals, forge alliances, and showcase unity amidst geopolitical tensions.
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