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World No. 172 Thiago Seyboth Wild stuns Russian star Daniil Medvedev in French Open upset | CNN

Ashish Singh — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 09:03:05 +0000

CNN
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The French Open has already seen a major upset as world No. 2 Daniil Medvedev was knocked out by Brazilian qualifier Thiago Seyboth Wild in the first round on Tuesday.

The world No. 172 showed little sign of nerves by beating Medvedev in a thrilling five-set encounter – 7-6(5) 6-7(6) 2-6 6-3 6-4 – in over four hours on court.

Medvedev is certainly not at his best on the surface but was coming into Roland Garros off the back of winning his first clay-court trophy at this year’s Italian Open.

He was widely expected to beat Seyboth Wild – who was making his first main draw appearance at the grand slam – but the Brazilian came out swinging, dominating the match with his powerful forehand in windy conditions.

“I have watched Daniil play for my entire junior career, up until today. Playing on this court against this kind of player and beating him is a dream come true,” Seyboth Wild, 23, said during his on-court interview.

“Walking on court, I just wanted to get to the net as much as possible and use my forehand against his and it worked pretty well.”

After winning the opening set, Seyboth Wild squandered set points in the second which allowed Medvedev to grow into the game.

The Russian then won the third set with ease but continued to struggle with his consistency and was clearly frustrated.

It allowed the Brazilian to recover and take the match into a nail-biting deciding set in which he held his nerve to see out a memorable win on Philippe Chatrier.

After winning match point with another crushing forehand, the beaming Brazilian turned to the crowd in disbelief, before raising his arms aloft.

“It was pretty tough. I started cramping in the second set. I did my best and tried to play my best tennis and it worked,” Seyboth Wild said. “I am really happy with the way I played.”

He will now face either Quentin Halys or Guido Pella in the second round.

Belarusian star opts out of French Open press conference, saying she ‘did not feel safe’ at last press conference | CNN

Ashish Singh — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 18:56:21 +0000

CNN
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World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka did not participate in a customary post-match press conference after her third-round win at the French Open on Friday, saying she didn’t feel safe when participating in a press conference held earlier this week.

On Wednesday, after winning in the second round of the tournament, the Belarusian had been repeatedly asked in a press conference to comment on the war in Ukraine and Belarus’ role, but she repeatedly declined to do so. This continued until the moderator halted the line of questioning.

“After my match I spoke with the media like I normally do,” Sabalenka said Friday. “I know they still expect some questions that are more about the politics and not so much about my tennis.

“For many months now I have answered these questions at tournaments and been very clear in my feelings and my thoughts.

“These questions do not bother me after my matches. I know that I have to provide answers to the media on things not related to my tennis or my matches, but on Wednesday I did not feel safe in press conference.

“I should be able to feel safe when I do interviews with the journalists after my matches. For my own mental health and well-being, I have decided to take myself out of this situation today, and the tournament has supported me in this decision.

“It hasn’t been an easy few days, and now my focus is continue to play well here in Paris.”

Instead of doing a press conference Friday, Sabalenka’s comments are from an interview released by tournament organizers at Roland Garros in Paris, according to Reuters. Normally, press conferences by players are required.

Reuters also reported that French Open organizers said that they want to “protect” Sabalenka and that whether she attends other post-match press conferences will be her decision.

CNN has reached out to the French Tennis Federation, the organizers of the French Open, for comment.

In 2021, Naomi Osaka of Japan sparked headlines and debate when she had announced she wouldn’t participate in press conferences during the French Open, citing her mental health. She later withdrew during the tournament, before her second-round match.

Sabalenka has already fielded some difficult questions in press conferences at Roland Garros, including from one reporter who accused her of “twisting it as if Ukrainians hate you” and “avoiding” questions asking her to condemn the war, with Belarus being used as a key staging ground for Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Sabalenka said in March that she struggled to understand the “hate” she encountered in the locker room amid strained relations between some players following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“About the war situation, I said it many, many times, nobody in this world – Russian athletes, Belarusian athletes – supports the war. Nobody. How can we support the war? Normal people will never support it,” she said.

Russian and Belarusian players are currently still competing on the tours as neutral athletes without their flag or country displayed.

Putin seeks to rival West with Brics summit

Diksha — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 15:43:06 +0000

Two dozen world leaders gathered in Russia on Tuesday for the opening of a three-day summit of the Brics group, an alliance of emerging economies that the Kremlin hopes will challenge Western “hegemony”.

With the summit, the biggest such meeting in Russia since it ordered troops into Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin is seeking to show Western attempts to isolate Moscow over the two-and-a-half-year offensive have failed.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan — all key partners for Russia — are scheduled to join the gathering, hosted in the western city of Kazan from October 22 to 24.

Putin, Modi and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa have already arrived in Kazan, Russian media reported, while Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said Xi had landed.

Moscow has made expanding the Brics group — an acronym for core members Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — a pillar of its foreign policy.

The main issues on the agenda include Putin’s idea for a Brics-led payment system to rival SWIFT, an international financial network that Russian banks were cut off from in 2022, as well as the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

The Kremlin has touted the gathering as a diplomatic triumph that will help it build an alliance to challenge Western “hegemony”.

Ahead of the meeting, Modi praised what he called the “special and privileged strategic partnership” between Moscow and New Delhi, and said issues including climate change would be on the agenda.

‘Multipolar world’

The United States has dismissed the idea that Brics could become a “geopolitical rival” but has expressed concern about Moscow flexing its diplomatic muscle as the Ukraine conflict rages.

Moscow has been steadily advancing on the battlefield in eastern Ukraine this year while strengthening its ties with China, Iran and North Korea — three of Washington’s adversaries.

By gathering the Brics group in Kazan, the Kremlin “aims to show that not only is Russia not isolated, it has partners and allies,” Moscow-based political analyst Konstantin Kalachev told AFP.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Putin in 2023 over the illegal deportation of children from Ukraine, and the Russian leader abandoned plans to attend the previous summit in ICC member South Africa.

This time round, the Kremlin wants to show an “alternative to Western pressure and that the multipolar world is a reality,” Kalachev said, referring to Moscow’s efforts to shift power away from the West to other regions.

Security

Putin is set to individually meet Modi and Xi as well as the leaders of South Africa and Egypt on Tuesday, followed by separate talks with Erdogan and Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is also undertaking his first trip to Russia since April 2022 to attend the summit. He will sit down with Putin on Thursday, according to a programme shared by Ushakov.

Ahead of the summit, AFP journalists in the city reported heightened security measures and a visible police presence.

The surrounding Tatarstan region, which is some 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) from the border with Ukraine, has previously been hit by long-range Ukrainian drone attacks.

Movement around the city centre is being limited, residents advised to stay home, and university students moved out of dormitories, local media reported.

Emboldened

The West believes Russia is using the Brics group to expand its influence and promote its own narratives about the Ukraine conflict.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned other countries could feel emboldened if Putin wins on the battlefield in Ukraine.

Starting with four members when it was established in 2009, Brics has since expanded to include several other emerging nations such as South Africa, Egypt and Iran.

But the group is also rife with internal divisions, including between key members India and China.

Turkey, a NATO member with complex ties to both Moscow and the West, announced in early September that it also wanted to join the bloc.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva cancelled his planned trip to the summit at the last minute after suffering a head injury that caused a minor brain haemorrhage.

The foreigners fighting and dying for Vladimir Putin

Aseem — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 10:39:07 +0000

A Nepali, a Slovak and a Brazilian sit in a room in a prisoner-of-war camp and explain that they had never signed up to fight in the Russian army but that they were tricked into doing so. The Ukrainian authorities do not give any official figures for the number of foreign fighters they have captured, but say that these men are a burden they would like to be rid of. In the past year, since they have begun to be captured, not one has been exchanged or gone home.

Lieutenant Vitalii Matvyenko, the spokesman for Ukraine’s Co-ordination Headquarters for the Treatment of PoWs, says that he sees no interest from the authorities in these men’s home countries for taking them back. For the citizens of many, fighting in foreign wars is illegal, and they could face jail if they went home. Asked if Russia was seeking the return of these men, a camp official snorts that there is no chance of that.

The POW camp in Lviv province houses 16 foreigners. There are more in other camps. There is no way to confirm the truth of these prisoners’ accounts but they echo other reports. No Ukrainian guards were present in the room when they were interviewed.

Prisoner A, from Nepal, said he had gone to Russia to study. A month after he got there he was unable to pay his university fees, because he had been cheated of his money by agents, who have lured hundreds from the poor Himalayan country to Russia. Desperate, he signed a contract with the Russian army, whose recruiters assured him he would not have to fight, “just help injured people”. Within weeks, however, he was forced to go to the front, and found himself under fire, with four other compatriots. “I don’t know what happened to them,” he says.

Prisoner B, from Slovakia, a member of the EU and NATO, tells a more eccentric story. He went to Russia in January because he dreamed of “living in nature, in the taiga, in Siberia.” His family told him he was “an idiot”. Because he needed money and wanted to get Russian citizenship to fulfil his ambition he signed up with the army and was promised he would just be digging trenches and building bunkers. “It was bullshit. They lied to us,” he says. After an attack, he stumbled through a minefield, dropped his gun and was captured. He says he does not want to go back to Slovakia because he would be jailed. He would like to go back to Russia but does not want to fight again so he says he is happy to sit out the war in the camp.

Prisoner C, from Brazil, says he was living in Australia and accepted a job offer from a Russian IT company. When he got to Russia he was told that the company worked for Russian military intelligence. He was sent to train to fly drones. He complained that he had not come to Russia for this, but every day he was told that his case would be solved “tomorrow”. When he was sent to the front, he was told that if he tried to escape, he would be arrested or shot.

One foreigner at the centre, who asked not to be identified, said he felt so angry about being sent to the front (which he also claimed he had not signed up for), that when he was captured he told Ukrainian intelligence officers “where 50 Russian positions were” and “thanks to me they killed my whole unit of 20 men”. Now he is angry again because he thought he had a deal with the Ukrainians that, after giving them this information, they would set him free.

Prisoner C claims that when training he saw Chinese “special forces” and met a Russian-speaking Iranian commander of a Russian unit. The men said that, though many foreigners had been tricked into fighting, others had indeed come to fight, and that their pay was $2,000 a month. Among the nationalities the POWs had met were Sri Lankans, Serbs, Cubans, Kazakhs, Tajiks, Moroccans, Indians and Egyptians. Sub-Saharan Africans have also been recruited. A Ukrainian intelligence source says that a high proportion of these recruits are dead, as they are deliberately sent in ahead of Russian troops “to expose our firing positions”. He added that an additional advantage of using foreigners was that no compensation was paid to their families, unlike to the families of Russian dead.

Estimates of the numbers of foreigners who have been recruited to fight with the Russians vary from the low thousands to tens of thousands. On October 17th, Ukraine’s spy chief, Kyrylo Budanov, claimed that there are nearly 11,000 North Korean troops training in eastern Russia to fight in Ukraine. There is no way to confirm this, though South Korea’s spy agency has stated some training is under way. The highest numbers of non-Russian POWs are from Sri Lanka and Nepal, says Lieutenant Matvyenko. In the last couple of months there have been fewer of them though. Stories about how those who have gone in search of big bucks have been scammed or killed have dampened enthusiasm for a Russian adventure.

India-China border row: Jaishankar announces disengagement process ‘completed’, says ‘will be able to do patrolling’

Aseem — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 10:11:18 +0000

India-China Row: After four years and multiple diplomatic and military talks to end the standoff since the India-China skirmishes began in 2020, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar announced on Monday that ‘disengagement process with China has been completed’.

Jaishankar said, “…We can say that the disengagement process with China has been completed…We will be able to do the patrolling which we were doing in 2020. I think it’s a good development…”

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Monday informed that New Delhi and Beijing military negotiators have reached an agreement on patrolling arrangement along Line of Actual Control (LAC).

“Over last few weeks, Indian and Chinese negotiators have been in touch.”

The agreement likely pertains to patrolling in Depsang and Demchok areas.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, “..As a result of the discussions that have taken place over the last several weeks an agreement has been arrived at on patrolling arrangements along the line of actual control in the India-China border area and this is leading to dis-engagement and eventually a resolution of the issues that had arisen in these areas in 2020.”

The announcement of the pact arrives just before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Russia for the BRICS summit, where he may engage in discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines.

According to news agency PTI, Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to hold a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit.

Relations between the two nuclear-capable nations have been tense since 2020, when violent clashes along their poorly defined border resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers and four from China.

Meanwhile, Beijing is yet to respond to the announcement of Jaishankar.

India-China Border Dispute: A Longstanding Tension

The ongoing conflict between India and China stems from a poorly defined border that stretches approximately 3,440 kilometers (2,100 miles). Known as the Line of Actual Control, this disputed frontier has become a focal point for both nations as they compete to enhance infrastructure in the region.

India’s efforts to construct a new road leading to a high-altitude air base are viewed as significant provocations, contributing to the deadly clash between troops in 2020.

The Galwan Valley confrontation marked a grim milestone, being the first fatal encounter since 1975, where combatants used sticks and clubs instead of firearms. The altercation resulted in the deaths of at least 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese soldiers.

De-escalation efforts have occurred since the intense fighting in June 2020, but tensions remain high. In December 2022, troops clashed once again near the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh, resulting in minor injuries among some soldiers.

Historically, Delhi and Beijing fought a single war in 1962, which ended in a significant defeat for India, adding to the complexity of their relationship and ongoing disputes over territorial claims.

Iran aided Russia against Ukraine. Now it needs to call in the favor

Aseem — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 05:13:47 +0000

Russian President Vladimir Putin (C) enters the hall during the meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (not pictured), October 11, 2024, in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.

Contributor | Getty Images News | Getty Images

Iran has been one of Russia’s few staunch allies throughout the war against Ukraine, but Tehran now faces the strain of indirectly fighting its nemesis Israel on two fronts.

Under pressure — but still defiant — Iran could start looking to Russia for help, given its need for greater air defense capabilities and military intelligence to detect a highly-anticipated but yet-to-materialize direct Israeli attack on Iran, analysts told CNBC.

Russia is well-positioned to provide Tehran with such capabilities, but the extent to which it will assist the Islamic Republic remains uncertain.

“I fully expect that the Iranians have high expectations of the Russians to provide them with something,” Bilal Y. Saab, associate fellow in the Middle East and North Africa Programme at think tank Chatham House, told CNBC Thursday, noting that reputation is of the utmost importance in international relations — even among authoritarian countries.

“So if the Russians are going to bail on this, it’s going to have consequences with regards not only to its relationship with the Iranians, but to any other partner, such as the Chinese,” he said.

“They’ve got to maintain some kind of reputation that they are good for it, and so I have medium-to-high expectations that they would actually provide them with what they need. Now, whether they provide them with everything they need, this is what nobody knows.”

Russia is unlikely to offer military intervention against Israel on behalf of the Iranians, Saab said, given it is already “too bogged down in Ukraine.”

“It’s also too risky of a game to go against the United States over the Iranians … so I think that [it’s] more likely they would stay on the sidelines and try to help from as far away as possible,” he said.

CNBC has contacted the Kremlin and Iranian foreign ministry for comment and has yet to receive a response.

both countries deny drone and missile transfers have taken place. Tehran has conceded that it sent drones to Russia before the war began, however.

Russia also denies using drones to attack Ukrainian infrastructure, although there have been numerous instances of Iranian-made drones damaging Ukrainian infrastructure or being intercepted during the war.

In the meantime, Tehran has turned to Russia to help build up its own military capabilities, looking to procure sophisticated Russia air defense systems and a variety of combat aircraft, according to reports, although the details surrounding the delivery of such hardware remain hazy.

“The provision of Iranian drones and, more recently, missiles to Russia for its campaign in Ukraine marked a significant evolution in the Russia-Iran relationship. In part, the war itself served as an accelerant to the already burgeoning Russia-Iran ties, propelling their cooperation to new heights,” Karim Sadjadpour and Nicole Grajewski from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace think tank noted in analysis earlier this month.

In return for Iran’s support, Russia has bolstered Iran’s military capabilities in several areas, they noted: “Iran has made notable progress in acquiring advanced conventional weaponry from Russia, allowing it to achieve some of its defense officials’ long-standing goals. In November 2023, Tehran secured deals for Su-35 fighter jets, Yak-130 training aircraft, and Mi-28 attack helicopters, though only the Yak-130s have been delivered so far.”

Russia has been offering Iran “an unprecedented level of military and technical support that is transforming their relationship into a full-fledged defense partnership,” National Security Council Spokesperson John Kirby said in late 2022. “This partnership poses a threat, not just to Ukraine, but to Iran’s neighbors in the region,” he said at the time.

Fast forward to October 2024 and Russia’s appetite to bolster Tehran’s military capabilities might be waning as its war against Ukraine drags on, while Iran’s ability to supply Russia with weaponry could now be limited.

Tehran is indirectly fighting its nemesis Israel on two fronts with its regional proxies, the militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah, coming under heavy and sustained Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip and in Lebanon, respectively, and looking severely weakened after the deaths of the militant groups’ leaders.

Iranian protesters shout anti-Israeli slogans while burning an Israeli flag in a celebration for Iran’s missile attack against Israel, in Tehran, Iran, on October 1, 2024.

Morteza Nikoubazl | Nurphoto | Getty Images

The factions, along with Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen, make up what Tehran refers to as the “Axis of Resistance,” which Iran backs in order to oppose Israeli and U.S. influence in the region. That shared antipathy toward the U.S. and desire to create a “new world order” are what largely binds Iran and Russia.

This week could bring more clarity on their deepening economic and strategic cooperation, when Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian meet on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Russia.

Both countries have said they are close to signing a “strategic partnership agreement” — negotiations over which began in early 2022 — and this could be finalized at forum. It remains to be seen what the partnership will entail.

said in analysis Monday.

“Nevertheless, Moscow prefers to adapt to the evolving situation rather than to get directly involved. Russia cannot — and will not — save Iran in its confrontation with Israel and the United States,” he noted.

Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (R) welcomes Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) at Al Yamamah Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on December 06, 2023.

Royal Court of Saudi Arabia | Anadolu | Getty Images

Moscow’s war in Ukraine means it has “no time” for another war, according to Smagin, who added that Russia would only be motivated to involve itself indirectly in the conflict with Israel if the end result were to weaken the U.S.

“Russia could seek to support Iran by supplying weapons to Iranian proxy forces, including Hezbollah and the Houthis,” Smagin said. “However, for the Kremlin, that would be more logical if such deliveries were going to harm the United States, rather than Israel.”

Ukrainian star Elina Svitolina calls Russian opponent ‘brave’ following French Open win | CNN

Ashish Singh — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 02:51:43 +0000

CNN
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Tennis player Elina Svitolina called her opponent, Russian Daria Kasatkina, a “brave one” following the Ukrainian’s upset win on Sunday.

Svitolina, who previously said she would not shake hands with Russian and Belarusian opponents out of respect for the men and women defending Ukraine, told reporters that she “acknowledged” Kasatkina after the match.

Kasatkina has been outspoken in her criticism of the war, describing it last year as a “nightmare,” according to the New York Times.

Last month, Kasatkina, Russia’s top-ranked female tennis player, also expressed her sympathy for Ukrainian tennis players who refuse to shake her hand after matches.

“Really thankful for her position that she took. She’s [a] really brave person to say it publicly, that not so many players did,” Svitolina said, after advancing to the quarterfinals of the French Open.

“She’s a brave one.”

Instead of a hand shake, Kasatkina gave her opponent a thumbs up at the net after losing the match 6-4 7-6 (7-5). She later said she was disappointed to hear boos from some members of the crowd.

“Leaving Paris with a very bitter feeling. All this days, after every match I’ve played in Paris I always appreciate and thanked crowd for support and being there for the players,” Kasatkina tweeted Monday.

“But yesterday I was booed for just being respectful on my opponent’s position not to shake hands.

“Me and Elina showed respect to each other after a tough match but leaving the court like that was the worse part of yesterday. Be better, love each other. Don’t spread hate. Try to make this world better.”

Kasatkina, who last year announced she was gay and criticized Russia’s attitudes towards homosexuality, has maintained her stance against the war in Ukraine.

“The saddest part is the war still going on,” the 26-year-old said last month. “So of course, players from Ukraine have got a lot of reasons to not shake our hands. I accept it and it is how it is. It’s a very sad situation and I understand.”

Playing in her first major since the 2022 Australian Open and first since becoming a mother, Svitolina said she was just focused on recovery and preparing for her next match.

“Of course I would love to win here,” Svitolina said. “It will be the dream, but it’s always been in my career like step by step.

“I think this is the only right way to do, to not look too much into the future, because otherwise you lose your focus from the small things that brings you to win the matches.”

Svitolina will play Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka in the next round on Tuesday.

World No. 2 Sabalenka stopped participating in customary post-match press conferences at the tournament after saying she didn’t feel safe at a previous press conference where she was questioned about her country’s involvement in the war.

Sabalenka said in March that she struggled to understand the “hate” she encountered in the locker room amid strained relations between some players following the invasion of Ukraine – Belarus is being used as a key staging ground for Russia.

Russian and Belarusian players are currently still competing on the tours as neutral athletes without their flag or country displayed.

Middle East, Ukraine wars in focus as G7 defence ministers meet in Italy

Diksha — Sat, 19 Oct 2024 15:41:38 +0000

The Group of Seven (G7) defence ministers are meeting in Italy against a backdrop of brewing tensions in the Middle East and the drawn-out conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

The one-day gathering on Saturday marks the group’s first ministerial meeting dedicated to defence, and is being held in Naples, the southern Italian city that is also home to a NATO base.

In his address, Italian Minister of Defence Guido Crosetto said the global security framework is growing increasingly precarious due to competing world visions.

“The brutal Russian aggressions in Ukraine and the indeed critical situation in Middle East, combined with the profound instability of sub-Saharan Africa and the increasing tension in the Indo-Pacific region, highlight a deteriorated security framework,” Crosetto said in his opening speech.

“Ample space” would be given to discussing the escalating Middle East conflict during the one-day summit, Crosetto had said a day earlier in Brussels.

There is also deep concern over China’s military activities around Taiwan and heightened tensions along the border of North and South Korea.

Warning that forecasts for the near future “cannot be positive”, Crosetto said tensions were fuelled by “a common driver: the confrontation between two different, perhaps incompatible, visions of the world”.

On the one side are the countries and organisations that believe in a world order based on international law, said Crosetto, a prominent member of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing Brothers of Italy party.

“On the other side, [there are] those who systematically disrespect democracy to pursue their objectives, including by a deliberate use of military force.”

On Ukraine, the G7 ministers will contemplate Kyiv entering a third winter at war, battlefield losses in the east – and the prospect of reduced US military support should Donald Trump be elected to the White House next month.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, under mounting pressure from Western allies to forge a winning strategy against Russia, on Thursday presented what he called a “victory plan” to the European Union and NATO.

Under discussion will also likely be reports, based on South Korean intelligence, that North Korea is deploying large numbers of troops to support Moscow’s war against Ukraine. NATO was not yet able to confirm that intelligence, its Secretary-General Mark Rutte said on Friday.

PM Modi to attend Brics meet in Russia, West Asia to top agenda

Aseem — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 22:00:08 +0000

NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi will visit Russia on Oct 22-23 at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the 16th Brics Summit in Kazan under the chairmanship of Russia, the govt announced on Friday.
While Modi will have a bilateral meeting with Putin on Oct 22, official sources did not confirm if he will also have a bilateral with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who will also attend the event.The Indian announcement didn’t name any country but said Modi is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Brics member countries and other invited leaders.
Modi and Xi had an “informal” meeting at the last Brics summit in 2023 in Johannesburg. There was no joint statement and both sides differed on who proposed the meeting.
The Kazan summit, themed ‘Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security’, will provide an important platform for leaders to discuss key global issues, said govt. The Gaza situation is expected to figure prominently in the agenda. Putin has invited Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for the summit and has said the Gaza conflict will be discussed in the meetings.
“The summit will offer a valuable opportunity to assess the progress of initiatives launched by Brics and to identify potential areas for future collaboration,” said govt.
Ahead of the summit, Russian ambassador Denis Alipov said that after Brics membership doubled last year, the group will move towards the establishment of a partner-country category to enable interested states to join practical cooperation.
“We think we must satisfy their expectations that would consolidate Brics potential as a dedicated mechanism to promote the agenda of the Global South. I would not prejudge who exactly will be invited, and what are the criteria, but certainly, those countries should be economically ambitious and oppose illegitimate sanctions against member-states,” said Alipov, speaking in an online conference organised by the Centre for Global India Insights.
A Russian minister was quoted as saying in Islamabad earlier this year that Moscow will back Pakistan’s membership bid.
“I presume we are all against the phantom itching for dictating and restricting cooperation with other nations. The case in point is that geopolitical and practical relevance of Brics is growing not only despite uncertainties but because of them reflecting the demand for a more equitable cooperation in a multipolar environment,” added Alipov.

Russia’s Putin seeks greater role for Brics in global energy dialogue

Diksha — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 12:32:56 +0000

President Vladimir Putin called on Monday for a bigger role for the Brics bloc on world’s energy markets as Russia seeks ways to counter Western influence.

Russia, which is the world’s second largest oil exporter and has the biggest reserves of natural gas, hosts annual Energy Week International Forum later this week and it is expected to hold a meeting of Brics’ energy ministers.

“It is obvious that in the new geopolitical realities, cooperation in the energy sector should serve to strengthen national economies, help solve priority social problems, and improve people’s quality of life,” Putin said in a letter to the forum’s participants and guests.

“It is crucial to agree on common principles for our countries in the just energy transition, and outline ways to strengthen the role of Brics in the global energy dialogue,” he said about the forthcoming meeting of Brics energy ministers.

In the past, the forum was also attended by delegates from Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter. The Saudi energy ministry did not immediately reply to a question about whether or not Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman would attend the event.

Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said last week that the Kremlin would update on the forum’s participants “in due course”.

The bloc was founded as an informal club in 2009 to provide a platform for its members to challenge a world order dominated by the United States and its Western allies.

Brics has been expanded as countries, including Egypt, Iran, United Arab Emirates joined.

After the Brics expansion, the alliance accounts for 42 per cent of the global oil and gas reserves.

Saudi Arabia has not yet officially joined the Brics, however, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said that Russia had invited Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed Bin Salman, to attend a Brics summit in the city of Kazan next month.