European Union Urges BRICS Leaders to Press Putin for an End to Ukraine War
On Wednesday, the European Union (EU) urged global leaders attending the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, to leverage the event to demand that Russian President Vladimir Putin halt Moscow’s ongoing war in Ukraine.
The summit, hosted in Russia’s cultural capital of Kazan, has drawn participation from more than 20 global leaders, including prominent figures such as Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and President Putin himself. The gathering is viewed as an opportunity for dialogue among emerging economies and strategic players on the world stage.
EU Condemns Russia’s Role as Summit Host
Peter Stano, spokesperson for EU foreign policy, criticized Russia‘s “misuse” of its chairmanship of BRICS, emphasizing the gravity of Putin’s involvement given the standing arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC). “Russia should not be allowed to exploit the BRICS platform to legitimize its actions while continuing its brutal war of aggression in Ukraine,” Stano remarked.
He expressed the EU’s hope that the summit’s participants will not overlook the severity of the ongoing conflict. “We trust that every leader present in Kazan will take this opportunity to once again call on Putin to immediately end the war against the Ukrainian people,” the spokesperson stated.
UN Secretary-General’s Role at the Summit
Stano further highlighted the EU’s support for United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, who is also attending the summit. He underscored the importance of Guterres’s participation, expressing hope that the UN chief would amplify the global community’s call for peace. “We trust that Secretary-General Guterres will reinforce the demand for Russia and Putin to cease hostilities without delay and put an end to the unprovoked aggression against Ukraine,” Stano said.
Broader Context
The EU’s statement comes amid growing international pressure on Russia to de-escalate the conflict, which has inflicted severe humanitarian damage and destabilized global security. The war, now entering a prolonged phase, has drawn widespread condemnation, with sanctions against Moscow and calls for accountability mounting across the international community.
The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Putin in March 2023, accusing him of war crimes, specifically the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine. While Russia has dismissed the warrant as illegitimate, the move intensified scrutiny of Putin’s involvement in global diplomatic events like the BRICS summit.
The EU hopes the Kazan summit will serve as a forum not only for economic discussions but also as an opportunity to rally influential leaders in calling for an end to the conflict. However, with nations like China and India pursuing a more neutral stance on the war, it remains uncertain how forcefully these appeals will be conveyed to the Russian leader.
The BRICS summit in Kazan presents a complex diplomatic landscape, where geopolitical considerations intersect with calls for peace and accountability. The EU’s plea reflects the ongoing efforts by Western nations to leverage every opportunity—diplomatic or otherwise—to bring about a resolution to the conflict in Ukraine.