Putin will not create another Yalta Conference to dismember Ukraine - expert Fried on BRICS summit

He expressed this opinion on Espreso TV.

“I don't think the BRICS can be a real counterweight to the G7. While China and India are big economic powers, Russia is not. Apart from certain points of contact on the surface and ideological level, the BRICS countries lack internal cohesion, so I would not expect anything great from this group. For many decades, the countries of the so-called Global South have been trying to rebalance the international system in their favor, but they have failed, and the West is still a powerful player. In economic terms, the G7 - Europe, the United States, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, Australia, and South Korea - account for more than 50% of the world economy. This is a significant share. Ever since I was young - and I am far from young - I have heard stories about the decline of the West, and they are either exaggerated or completely inspired. We democracies need to unite and work together. At a time when the BRICS countries are united by nothing but posturing, Ukraine is fighting for its survival, and it is our duty to support it,” said Fried.

According to the expert, the BRICS summit held in Russia will not have a significant impact.

“I am glad that India and Brazil attended the peace summit in Switzerland. This is a testament to the fact that Ukrainian diplomacy has demonstrated an amazing skill. Much depends on the situation on the battlefield, but the BRICS summit itself is not a landmark event for Ukraine. It will not determine its fate, and Putin will not succeed in creating another Yalta conference that will dismember Ukraine. No, this will not happen,” he emphasized.

BRICS summit in Kazan: what is known 

On October 22, the BRICS summit under the Russian presidency started in Kazan. Delegations from 36 countries, including 22 heads of state, attended the meeting. Among them was UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said that the secretary general's decision to visit Kazan “harms the reputation of the UN.” 

At the BRICS summit, Vladimir Putin held a series of meetings with officials and representatives of other countries.

On October 23, White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby said that the United States does not view the BRICS summit in Russia as a threat to Western alliances. 

During the BRICS summit, Chinese leader Xi Jinping said that he believes it is necessary to de-escalate the war in Ukraine as soon as possible. 

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a “just peace” in Ukraine based on the principles of the UN Charter, speaking at the BRICS summit. 

At the same time, Putin said during his speech that Ukraine had attacked the Kursk region to influence the US elections. He also made another statement about the allegedly unfair expansion of NATO.