The West is trying to put pressure on Russia through BRICS

From Elena Panini at russtrat.ru with my comments

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock visited the South African capital on Tuesday. Following the talks with her, her South African colleague Naledi Pandor stated that Pretoria is in favor of an early end to hostilities in Ukraine and the start of negotiations between the parties to the conflict.

According to Baerbock, this symbolizes “a change in the position of South Africa on the Ukrainian issue.” Is it so?

▪️ Earlier in Copenhagen, under the chairmanship of White House aide Jake Sullivan, a meeting of national security representatives from several countries was held – a delegation from South Africa was also present. At the meeting, “peace in Ukraine” was discussed, moreover, in the interpretation of Zelensky’s “peace plan”, which provides for the complete defeat of Russia.

In addition to the South Africans, representatives of two more BRICS countries, Brazil and India, arrived in Copenhagen. The goal of the West is clear – to enlist the support of the members of the bloc that maintain a benevolent neutrality towards Russia.

▪️ Attempts to drive a wedge between the BRICS members are evident, but there is no need to talk about any cardinal moves by the West on this issue. Brazil, India, and South Africa have repeatedly advocated an early peace in Ukraine before – this does not make them allies of the United States in this matter.

Note that the West has to work with the involvement of the BRICS members since its own tools simply do not work. So it is forced to try to influence Russia through its allies in the “five”. But there is no success in this, and the absence of a representative of the PRC, a key player in the BRICS, at the meeting in Copenhagen only proves this.

▪️ As for the position of South Africa, there has been no significant changes in it. With the same attitude of “for all that is good against all that is bad,” South Africans recently traveled to Kiev and Moscow, demonstrating their role on the world stage.

Finally, Russia has never refused to negotiate from the very beginning of the SMO. But with whom to negotiate? With Kiev, as the South Africans suggest? But Ukraine is not objective. In addition, Zelensky legally banned any negotiations with the Russian Federation. From the USA? However, Washington keeps repeating only the impossibility of “premature peace” in Ukraine.

Everyone understands that the terms of the future world will be dictated by the victor on the battlefield. So the current exchanges of views, whether in Copenhagen or Pretoria, are nothing more than diplomatic rhetoric.

A few notes:

The upcoming BRICS meeting in August may, or may not be, one of the most important gatherings in our world.  BRICS will be announcing new members and the idea of a BRICS currency has a high profile for this meeting, although I do not expect any major announcements at this stage.

I am also happy to see this issue discussed in Russia.  But the all-out assault on the BRICS is not contained to South Africa, Brazil, and India.  China is also in the crosshairs and we get articles headed like this from the influential Foreign Policy Journal:  “BRICS Faces a Reckoning:  Enlargement would be a sign not of the group’s strength but of China’s growing influence.”

What I partially agree with, is Elena’s statement that “… the current exchanges of views, whether in Copenhagen or Pretoria, are nothing more than diplomatic rhetoric.”   Yes, only if one does not take into account the arm-twisting and the ongoing threats.

And then there is this enjoyable moment.