The world’s change towards a multipolar order is a key theme in Russia’s political discourse on foreign affairs. It is with this perspective that the Russian delegation arrives at South Africa this Monday (21) to attend the 15th BRICS Summit.
“The world is changing fast before our eyes.” That was how Russia’s foreign affairs official representative, Maria Zakharova, started an exclusive interview she gave to Brasil de Fato, setting the tone for the current Russian diplomacy amidst the war in Ukraine and the crisis with the West.
The group formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa have been seen by Moscow as a relevant platform for promoting alternatives to the West’s leading role in the international politics. It is no wonder that all the BRICS countries declared as neutral or “non-aligned” regarding the war in Ukraine, so much so that they proposed peace plans to solve the conflict. In this sense, Russia sees Brazil as a prosperous partner and a regional leadership amidst a world increasingly polarized about the Ukrainian conflict, which started on February 24, 2022.
BRICS, international order, relations with Brazil and Russia’s view on the Ukrainian crisis: these topics were addressed in the interview with the Russian diplomat on the eve of the BRICS summit, which takes place in South Africa this week, between August 22 and 24.
Maria Zakharova is one of the major names in Russia’s diplomacy. No wonder her title position isn’t spokesperson but official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia. It would be just a bureaucratic formality were it not for her proactive stance, known for blunt and severe comments in her briefings and press conferences explaining and defending the Russian position before the world.
During the written interview, with questions previously sent, she was no different. With a sympathetic and propitious view about Brazil and the Global South on one side and, on the other side, a critical point of view about the West – which she defined as a tutor of the “Kiev regime” -, Maria Zakharova made clear the main paradigms of Russia’s current foreign policy, as well as its conditions and demands to a possible resolution of the conflict in Ukraine.
Read the full interview below:
Brasil de Fato: BRICS resumed its protagonism in the international arena. Current issues as the promotion of multipolarity, the debate on transactions adopting currencies other than the dollar, as well as the possibility of expanding the number of BRICS members, gained importance among developing countries. What is the perspective on new resolutions concerning these topics during the BRICS Summit in South Africa
Maria Zakharova: The world is changing fast before our eyes. Asian, African and Latin American countries are strengthening their economies, showing their will and disposition to defend sovereign national interests and influence global processes. The irreversible formation of a fairer polycentric world order is getting faster. It is becoming past the unipolar world order, based on creating privileges for a restricted group of countries by imposing their rules and selfish behavior patterns on all the other countries under the guise of universal norms. It definitely represents a positive trend in which the role of BRICS is really increasing.
About the use of alternative currencies to the US dollar in mutual transactions between BRICS members, I would like to mention that important talks about it within BRICS are being led by relevant entities.
Besides, in parallel to the 15th BRICS Summit, a discussion is scheduled on current global and regional topics and strategic partnerships among the five countries, including economy, culture and human rights. Of course, the central element of the next meeting will be the talks on the potential BRICS expansion.
In the deterioration process of the relations between Russia and the West, what is the importance of BRICS and the Global South to the perspectives of a multipolar world? In this sense, does Russia see Brazil as a potential leader to transform the world order?
It is long gone the time when one or two centers [of power] could determine the trajectory of the world’s development. There is a struggle for a new international order that considers the interests of all countries equally.
Russia traditionally advocates for the expansion of BRICS with Global South and Global East countries that share with us similar points of view, as well as their organizations and regional associations. Developing countries are invited to participate in many BRICS events, including ministers’ meetings and summits.
We see Brazil as a traditionally responsible participant in world political processes, seeking an independent foreign policy based on the protection of national interests, deepening the integration of Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as strengthening stability and safety by searching for collective answers to the challenges of our time.
The country is a voice from Latin America in BRICS. The partners have always shown their commitment to strengthening cooperation by building an equitable multipolar world order and not leaving aside the issue of reforming the existing global governance system, particularly the UN and its Security Council.
We believe Brazil has a crucial role in the establishment of a new polycentric world order – a fairer and more democratic one – in view of the importance of the country to global issues and the choices made by the government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to boost Brasilia’s role in the international arena together with the next presidency of G20, in 2024, and BRICS, in 2025. They will contribute significantly to consolidating relevant processes.
All the BRICS members took a neutral or “non-aligned” position regarding the war in Ukraine, including the proposal of peace plans to end the conflict. Could the BRICS Summit be an important step for these countries acting as mediators with the West and Ukraine to find a political solution?
We value mediation and humanitarian initiatives aimed at peace. Unlike the Kiev regime, which interrupts and forbids negotiations with Russia, we have always been and will continue to be open to a diplomatic solution to the crisis. We are ready to respond to serious proposals.
We would like to talk about how Russia sees Brazilian diplomacy in the context of the Ukrainian conflict. President Lula defends a peaceful solution to the conflict. He stated that Russia’s security concerns must be taken into account in peace projects. These statements generated criticisms from Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelensky. How does Moscow assess the Brazilian opinion about the military operation?
We respect the interests of our BRICS partners, particularly Brazil, to contribute to a peaceful solution to the Ukrainian crisis. We cannot but mention the deep understanding of Brazilian diplomacy about the causes of the Ukrainian crisis, its global geopolitical meaning and the role of the West in this event. We assess Brazil’s position on the Ukrainian crisis as a balanced one. The Brazilian side invariably defends the inclusive nature of the negotiation process and a fair resolution of the situation, taking into account the interests and legitimate security concerns of all parties involved, including Russia.
The consistent maintenance of a sovereign position by the Brazilian government under unacceptable and serious pressure deserves great respect
Brazil did not adopt illegal unilateral coercive measures by the West and confirmed time and time again its principle of refusing to provide weapons, military equipment and ammunition to Kiev. The country opposes restricting Russia’s work in international organizations and the “Ukrainization” of its agenda. The consistent maintenance of a sovereign position by the Brazilian government under unacceptable and serious pressure deserves great respect.
We are open to continuing to share points of view with Brasilia about the issue in the spirit of the strategic partnership relations that unite our countries.
Regarding Volodymir Zelensky’s criticisms about the statements Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva made, I would like to remind them that those that promote the so-called Zelensky’s “peace formula”, which consists of a set of unacceptable ultimatums to Russia, including “restoration of borders of Ukraine as they were in 1991”, have to keep in mind that they are being dragged to this “game”. Besides, they need to keep in mind that the Kiev regime publicly stated the task of destroying every Russian thing in the territories currently controlled by them. That is what means the demand of restoring Ukraine’s 1991 borders.
Russian foreign affairs official representative, Maria Zakharova, is one of the major names of Russia's diplomacy. /Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.
At the same time, President Lula has already criticized Russia due to its actions, even stating that President “Putin cannot stay in Ukrainian territory”, which contradicts the Russian Constitution regarding the regions of Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. What are the conditions and reasonable terms for Russia to accept the interruption of military activities? Is the inclusion of these territories a non-negotiable requirement for Russia, or is it possible to negotiate an autonomous status for these areas?
I would like to mention that between September 23 and 27, 2022, referendums were held in the popular republics of Donetsk and Lugansk and the regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia about their inclusion as part of the Russian Federation in full compliance with the norms and principles of international law. People showed their will and constitutional right to self-determination. We respect their choice. According to Russia’s federal constitutional laws from October 2022, the inclusion of four new federal divisions in the Russian Federation is recognized in the Constitution of our country.
In this sense, to start a process of negotiation today, just three simple steps must be taken: the West must stop bombardments targeting the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and Kiev must stop hostilities and withdraw its troops from Russian territory
Regarding the rest of the Ukrainian territory, its future depends mainly on how fast Ukraine and the West will understand that we will not tolerate the existence of an openly anti-Russian state in our borders, whatever their borders. It is inconceivable from the point of view of Russia’s security and any other state’s security.
During a meeting with a delegation of African leaders in June this year, President Vladimir Putin presented a document that was an agreement with Ukraine about “permanent neutrality and guarantees of security to Ukraine”. It was reached during negotiations in Istanbul in March 2022. Could the terms in this document be used for future negotiations of a cease-fire?
We have repeatedly expressed our negotiating position; it is well known. Its main provisions are contained in the drafts of three documents: the Russia-US treaty on security guarantees, the agreement on measures to guarantee the security of Russia and NATO countries (both were informed to Western countries in late 2021) and the treaty to solve the situation in Ukraine, its neutrality and guarantees of its security (the preparation of this document took place in February-April 2022).
The first two documents talked about crucial topics to us such as the legal consolidation of the principle of indivisibility of security, NATO’s non-expansion to the east, the resumption of NATO’s military infrastructure to that of 1997 (when the Russia-NATO Founding Act was signed), the exclusion of the deployment of medium and shorter land-range missiles in areas from which they are capable of hitting targets on the territory of other members to the agreement and the guarantee of NATO countries of not carrying out any military activity on Ukrainian territories and other states of Eastern Europe, Transcaucasia and Central Asia.
Regarding the third document, its main provisions, of course, remain relevant today. It is about Ukraine's neutral and non-aligned status, its refusal to join NATO and the EU; the confirmation of its non-nuclear status; recognition by Kiev and the international community of new territorial realities; demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine; guarantees of the rights of Russian-speaking citizens and the official status of the Russian language, as well as several other issues.
Finally, I restate: Russia has never refused to dialogue. Thus, at this stage, the resumption of the negotiation process depends only on the availability of the Ukrainian authorities and their Western tutors for a serious discussion of current geopolitical realities.
Edited by: Nadini Lopes e Rodrigo Durão Coelho
