The Russia-Ukraine War exposed Moscow to a number of political and economic sanctions imposed by the West. This method was aimed to make Russia lose power and break its dominance in the region. However, as long as the oil and gas factor does not lose its global importance, Russia will continue to shape the world economy. In other words, for Russia’s economic role to change, oil and gas must lose its importance in the global economy.
Having lost an important energy market such as Europe due to the war in Ukraine, Russia has increased its use of ‘soft power’ while improving its relations with the countries of the Global South, especially China and India. In this context, it is useful to evaluate Russia’s BRICS membership and the presidency process that it took over in 2024.
Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized that his country would use the slogan “Strengthening multilateralism for fair global development and security” for its presidency in BRICS. “Preserving traditions and guided by the experience accumulated by the union in previous years, we will take all necessary steps to facilitate the adaptation of new participants to all activities.” [i]
The member countries of the BRICS group position themselves as representatives of the multi-polar world and prefer “soft power” to the “hard power” of the uni-polar world order. Especially in the strategies of Brazil and China, the application of “soft power” has been more evident. For example, the BRICS countries’ efforts to host major international events, especially sports competitions that will attract the attention of the whole world on their territory have shown that they can successfully implement the soft power strategy.
Although the term ‘soft power’, which does not have a literal equivalent in Russian literature, is translated as ‘soft power’, Russia is not yet applying this power in its universal sense, but with a unique approach. In 2024, Russia will host international events/summits in the fields of politics, economy, sports and science, while the war with Ukraine is still ongoing. Thanks to soft power, the state will have a positive image on the world stage, arouse respect and admiration in the countries of the world, increase sympathy for this country and become attractive to other nations, which will add new breath to Russia’s influence, which is at a delicate stage. Therefore, through these events, Moscow aims to destroy Western propaganda in the eyes of foreign guests and generally reduce the country’s international isolation.
A few weeks before the Johannesburg Summit, Anil Suklal, South Africa’s representative to BRICS, announced that more than 20 countries from Asia, Africa and Latin America had officially applied to join the group. On 1 January 2024, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE joined the alliance. With BRICS doubling its core membership, Russia is primarily pursuing political goals and efforts to create an alternative union to the West and to rebuild the economy more effectively in the face of Western sanctions.
At a briefing on the growing and strengthening BRICS in August 2023, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated that his country does not see BRICS as a geopolitical rival. Critical issues in the Indo-Pacific, the war in Ukraine and many other “It is difficult to reach consensus among the five members, and it becomes even more difficult when the number doubles.” [ii]
John McDermott, The Economist’s Africa Correspondent, said that the new members that will join the BRICS in 2024 signal a global geopolitical shift: “The world is becoming increasingly multi-polar, challenging the Western-led order.[iii]
McDermott emphasized that BRICS, which was ridiculed by the West in 2010, now includes two of the three largest oil producers as well as the most powerful countries of the Persian Gulf, Latin America and Africa.[iv]
Despite tactical differences, the participating countries show that they are capable of finding ways to cooperate and are critical of Washington’s attempts to speak on behalf of the international community. For example, the fact that India and Pakistan joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as observers in 2005 and became full members in 2017 can be considered a success of the major actors of the Global South. If the BRICS platform can resolve the disagreements and differences of opinion among the member states, then they will be able to show their global political weight.
This platform may also help Russia and Ukraine to come to the negotiating table. Namely, as long as the heavy consequences of the Russian-Ukrainian War do not come to light, the items presented as the reasons for the outbreak of the war will remain valid and will continue to trigger tension both globally and regionally.
Therefore, Russia is making serious preparations for the politically active year 2024. Moscow, which is preparing for the presidential elections, apparently aims to show off against its Western rivals not only with its military power and superiority in war, but also on a larger scale by coming together with its Global South allies.
As a result, Russia’s unusual application of ‘soft power’ tactics in 2024 may be a sign of its realization that its efforts to change the world order with China, its closest ally, will not be possible without changes in its own strategy.
[i] “Владимир Путин назвал девиз председательства России в БРИКС в 2024 году”, Govoritmosk, https://govoritmoskva.ru/news/393340/, (Access Datei: 11.01.2024).
[ii] “«Новый театр противостояния». BRICS расширяется вдвое из-за желания России и Китая изменить мир. Стоит ли Западу волноваться?”, Forbes, https://forbes.ua/ru/svit/shcho-take-brics-chomu-blok-rozshiryuetsya-ta-chi-varto-vid-tsogo-khvilyuvatisya-zakhodu-ta-ukraini-06012024-18355, (Access Date: 11.01.2024).
[iii] “The BRICS Are Expanding”, Economist, https://www.economist.com/the-world-ahead/2023/11/13/the-brics-are-expanding, (Access Date: 11.01.2024).
[iv] Ibıd.
