During a BRICS summit speech on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin defended Russia’s actions in Ukraine by portraying them as a counteraction to hostile action from Kyiv and Washington. Speaking via video link, Putin described the invasion as a move to end the Donbas region conflict, which he attributed to the West's desire to preserve global dominance. The president stressed that the crisis in Ukraine was sparked by the ambitions of some countries to uphold world hegemony.

Putin addressed the forum of BRICS countries, which include Brazil, India, China, and South Africa; all four have refused to condemn Russia's military involvement in Ukraine. The grouping of emerging economies holds significance for Russia, which seeks to mitigate Western sanctions by strengthening trade with East Asian regions, Africa, and Latin America.

While Russia voiced openness to negotiating on ending the 18-month conflict, Moscow stressed that any focus should look into the "new realities" established by its military presence controlling a large swathe of Ukraine’s territory. Kiev demands the full restoration of its land and increased disengagement from Russian forces.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who had forwarded a peace plan to both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, welcomed the commitment of BRICS members in support of dispute resolution plans.

Putin’s address underscored Russia’s proposed mechanism for promoting multipolarity through strengthening nations under the BRICS while crushing US dominance. Insisting Moscow by no means was credulous to attend since it wasn't part of the court that delivered the verdict on January 15 for war crimes in Ukraine, Moscow rebuffed it as legally lacking given its division from its unbounded jurisdiction.