The Geopolitics of BRICS 23resources and is deeply engaged in the lumber, iron ore, tin and
petrochemical sectors.^15
Brazil regards the BRICS as an intermediary political circle between
the West–specifically the US, with which the country has a close working
relationship–and the rest of Latin America, which is part of its political
and economic sphere of influence. The country’s political leadership is
also aware that China is pursuing a ‘big power strategy’ and, as such,
Brazil does continue to share common ground with China but it is highly
unlikely that it will enter into a strategic alliance with it. An issue that
makes Brazil’s stance abundantly clear is the fact that China and Russia
continue to offer no support regarding Brazil’s ambitions for a permanent
seat on the United Nations Security Council.
Russia
The developing policy of BRICS dove-tails with Russia’s approach to
geopolitics. President Putin’s foreign policy is based on one overriding
principle, that being; national sovereignty. Russia’s continuing position is
that no country or international organisation has the right to interfere in
another country’s international affairs. Russia, like the other BRICS
members, believes in the establishment of a multipolar world. The notion
of multipolarity has actually shaped Russian foreign policy since the mid-
1990’s when it became apparent that Russian integration into the Western
system as an equal partner was not possible.^16
Russia has stressed the need for the BRICS to have a more defined
institutional structure. President Putin is eager to transform BRICS from a
dialogue-based forum to a “full-scale strategic cooperation mechanism that
will allow us to look for solutions to key issues of global politics
together.”^17 It should be noted that the significance of BRICS has become
even more relevant for Russia with the continuing tentative position of the
Eurasian Union as Ukraine moves ever closer to the European Union.
BRICS provides Russia with an important platform which supports the
country’s broader geostrategic interests and allows the country to further
interact with the West. Unlike the other BRICS members, Russia remains
a global power without being a regional power. Thus the country attempts
to mitigate its isolation by participating in coalitions.
(^15) Jha, “BRICS in the Contemporary Global Economy: Prospects and Challenges”,
3.
(^16) Lukyanov, “What Holds BRICS Together?”
(^17) Baracyhy,“The Geopolitics of Multilateralism: The WTO Doha Round
Deadlock, the BRICS, and the Challenges of Institutional Power Transition.”