On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Dr. Andrey Kortunov, the academic director of the Russian International Affairs Council. He discusses the significance of the BRICS+ Summit in Kazan and its importance for Russia, the opportunities and challenges that come with an expanded BRICS welcoming in new nations, why he believes BRICS welcoming in MENA countries is a double-edged sword, Russia’s shifting relations in the Middle East with Moscow becoming closer to Iran and the Arab world and ties weakening with Israel, Saudi Arabia’s navigation between BRICS+ and NATO countries, the extent to which BRICS+ can develop institutions which can provide an alternative to the Western-created institutions, the prospect of direct armed conflict between Washington and BRICS countries such as Russia and China, Ukrainian President Zelensky’s declaration of war against Iran and North Korea and what Zelensky’s endgame is, the expected mobilization of BRCIS+ countries to counteract the US’ unilateral secondary sanctions, the role of cryptocurrency in the new BRICS+ financial architecture, and Washington’s exploitation of the EU’s strategic weakness to render it a total vassal with no hope for strategic autonomy.
