RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL — Against the sun-drenched backdrop of Copacabana and a region reeling from global realignment, the 17th BRICS Summit opened in Rio de Janeiro with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov leading the Moscow delegation. President Vladimir Putin, is addressing the summit via secure video feed. The gathering comes at a critical geopolitical moment, as BRICS expands and the global South rises.
Lavrov landed in Brazil on July 6, as confirmed by TASS, to represent Russia at the summit that includes high-level delegations from Brazil, India, China, South Africa, and newly admitted BRICS+ nations including Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates. Indonesia and several ASEAN states are also participating as observers, signaling the forum’s growing influence far beyond its original charter.
Russia’s deepening engagement with the Global South is on full display, as Lavrov’s itinerary also includes upcoming visits to Malaysia for ASEAN events (July 10–11) and Tianjin, China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) ministerial on July 14–15, according to Malaysia’s, according to Bernama.
At the heart of the 17th BRICS summit is the assertion of multipolarity—a rejection of Western dominance and a commitment to sovereign economic and political frameworks. Moscow, according to TASS breakdown, is pushing for accelerated integration in cross-border settlements in national currencies, enhanced trade through BRICS-led financial channels, and technology partnerships, especially in AI, space, and climate innovation.
In his opening remarks, Lavrov highlighted the urgency of reforming global governance institutions. “The West has weaponized financial systems and international law to impose its will,” Lavrov said. “BRICS must offer the world a more just, inclusive alternative.” The Russian Foreign Ministry, in prior briefings, also emphasized discussions on building a common BRICS digital currency infrastructure to bypass the dollar-centric global monetary order.
While the G7 continues to project confrontation, Lavrov’s diplomacy in Rio signals Russia’s growing appeal in the non-Western world. Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, hosting this year’s summit, has also voiced support for a reformed United Nations and international financial institutions that reflect contemporary global realities.
The summit’s broader agenda includes cooperation in combating climate change, increasing food and energy security, and digital sovereignty. China and India are expected to co-sponsor a proposal for a BRICS Green Innovation Pact, aimed at decarbonizing industrial sectors in emerging economies.
With BRICS now including major oil exporters like Iran and Saudi Arabia, the bloc’s ability to challenge Western-led economic orthodoxy is growing. As Lavrov meets privately with several foreign ministers during the summit, discussions are expected to include strategic cooperation on global shipping routes, shared satellite infrastructure, and joint academic institutions for training a new generation of BRICS policymakers.
The presence of ASEAN observers has not gone unnoticed. As reported by Bernama, Lavrov will travel to Malaysia following the summit to deepen Russia’s engagement with Southeast Asia, a move that analysts say is part of a broader strategy to shift global power dynamics from West to East.
Despite the absence of Western leaders, the summit has captured international attention. Russian state media reported that Lavrov was welcomed warmly in Rio, while Brazil’s presidential office highlighted the “symbolic importance of BRICS in advancing peace through development.”
Observers note that unlike NATO or the G7, BRICS offers a more inclusive, non-aligned format that appeals to countries wary of Cold War-style blocs. With more than 40 nations expressing interest in joining BRICS, the Rio summit may mark a turning point in institutionalizing an alternative to the US-led order.
The 17th BRICS summit has been described by observers as a transformative moment in global diplomacy, with one Russian official noting that it reflects “a structural shift toward a more equitable and inclusive global order no longer dominated by the West.”
