Photo: Egor Aleev/TASS
In the American political tradition, there is no question of publicly acknowledging or even noticing any trends in the world that are unfavorable to the United States. It’s as if they don’t exist, Washington’s leadership is unwavering and that’s it. The same thing happened with the appearance of the BRICS and then the BRICS+ on the international scene. What BRICS? We don’t see this. At least we don’t say it out loud.
Earlier this month, US Secretary of State Blinken published a “missionary article” in Foreign Affairs, “America’s Renewal Strategy.” Restore leadership in a new world.” In it there is not a word about the BRICS. But there is a section called “Make a better offer.” If you read it, it becomes immediately clear: it is specifically about the Global South, whose leaders precisely strive to join the BRICS. To offer better options, Blinken writes, the United States and other G7 countries launched the Global Investment and Infrastructure Partnership in 2022, which would leverage $600 billion in private capital to finance high-quality green projects. quality around the world. The United States is already making a series of infrastructure investments in a development strip that crosses Africa and will eventually link the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The Biden administration, the Secretary of State says, is actively working to preserve. American leadership.
But the day before this article was published, NATO member Türkiye applied to join the BRICS. And a few days later, at a meeting of finance ministers of the BRICS countries, it was announced that the average growth rate of the economies of the BRICS members that are already in an expanded composition in 2024-2025 will be 4.4 % annual, while The growth rate of the G7 countries is 1.7%. The share of the BRICS countries in world GDP in purchasing power parity will reach a record 36.7% in 2024, and in the G7 countries this figure is 29.6%. And with all this, Washington prefers not to even name the acronym that threatens its hegemony. .
Although the appeal of a new nine-state association, which some four dozen countries have already expressed their desire to join, is evident. In the last two months, in addition to Turkey, Azerbaijan and Syria have submitted applications to join the BRICS, three bordering countries that form a gigantic transport corridor with access to several seas, which will significantly increase the economic potential of the organization. And Serbia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Vulin said Belgrade is considering joining the BRICS as an alternative to the EU, on whose threshold it has remained for 15 years. Even if Serbia does not become a full member of the association, having received partner status, this is still a blow to the reputation of the EU, which is accustomed to the fact that membership in a “united Europe” is in itself an irresistible option. and a desirable carrot for absolutely all countries on the continent. By the way, according to experts, another EU country, Hungary, could become a BRICS partner. Of course, unless there is a loud cry and severe threats from Brussels.
The appeal of a new global partnership, which is not created by the West and therefore does not govern, clearly scares Washington and Brussels. Suffice it to remember that the BRICS countries already represent not only a larger proportion of world GDP than the G7, but also more than 46% of the world population, more than 40% of world oil production and 36% of world production of natural gas. . With such potential, the BRICS are capable of significantly changing the balance of power in the global economy. And the intention of its members to create new global financial mechanisms that do not depend on the dollar is already an open challenge for the Americans themselves.
But BRICS is not “are you with the reds or are you with the whites?”, something the West will obviously now press on. Its appeal lies in the fact that it is every man for himself, as long as the legal rights of all are respected as a primary condition for common prosperity. And the fact that both NATO members and applicants for EU membership have flocked to the association is highly indicative of whose future belongs: a world based on American “rules,” or a world that determine for yourself how to live.
