UN Charter for all? How Ukraine was mentioned in BRICS declaration and what Putin's guests discussed
Photo: The BRICS summit took place in Kazan (Getty Images)
A BRICS summit is taking place in Kazan, Russia, from October 22 to 24. Participants have already adopted a final declaration, which mentions Russia's war against Ukraine.
For more details on what BRICS leaders think about the war in Ukraine and how it has influenced the declaration, see the material by RBC-Ukraine.
Contents:
Cynical mention of the UN Charter in the declaration
BRICS is an association consisting of nine countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Iran, the UAE, and Ethiopia). Leaders from all member countries, except the Brazilian President, as well as heads of countries that are friendly to Russia, are present at the summit in Kazan.
In the final declaration adopted today, October 23, BRICS leaders dedicated only one paragraph to Russia's war against Ukraine.
"We recall national positions concerning the situation in and around Ukraine as expressed in the appropriate fora, including the UNSC and the UNGA. We emphasize that all states should act consistently with the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter in their entirety and interrelation," the document states.
The declaration also emphasizes that BRICS member countries acknowledge "relevant proposals of mediation and good offices" aimed at achieving a peaceful resolution to the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.
Notably, in their statement on the war in Ukraine, member states of the association, including Russia, referenced the UN Charter. However, it is important to remind that the ambiguous position of these countries regarding the war in Ukraine and their questionable support for Ukraine's territorial integrity, as stipulated in the same Charter, make such a statement particularly cynical.
Ukrainian officials have repeatedly cited the UN Charter in their statements about ending the war with Russia. According to Kyiv's position, any proposals for peace should be based on this document.
"There is no need to reinvent the wheel when the UN Charter already defines the foundations of peace and normal coexistence of peoples. So, we just have to return to them. And for this purpose, we need to decide how countries will cooperate," emphasized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the first Peace Summit.
The head of the Presidential Office, Andriy Yermak, stressed that Ukraine is ready to consider any changes to Kyiv's plan for ending the war, but only if they "comply with international law and support Ukraine's territorial integrity, inviolability of its borders, and full sovereignty.
Statements of BRICS leaders on Ukraine
It is noteworthy that the mention of the war in Ukraine during the summit was not limited to the final declaration. BRICS leaders also made several statements.
In particular, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, spoke about the need to resolve "conflicts" through peaceful means.
"All our efforts give priority to humanity. India is ready to provide all possible support in the times to come," added the head of the Indian government.
Meanwhile, UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan informed Putin that his country continues to make efforts regarding the exchange of prisoners between Russia and Ukraine.
"And I assure you that we will continue to work in this direction. We are ready to make any efforts to resolve crises and in the interests of peace, in the interests of both sides," he added.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping also made a statement regarding Ukraine, reiterating China’s official position on the three principles of de-escalation: "no expansion of the battlefield, no escalation of fighting and no provocation by any party".
It is important to note that Russian President Vladimir Putin did not actively comment on the issue of the war against Ukraine during the summit discussions.
It is likely that the war was discussed behind closed doors at the BRICS summit, but no public revelations have emerged so far.
Given the limited number of statements on Ukraine, it is unlikely that it was a primary topic, at least of the main program of the summit.
By the way, Ukraine is currently working on a peace plan that will also involve adherence to the UN Charter in the context of the war with Russia.
Sources: The final declaration of the BRICS summit, statements from President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
