Transcript
Lavrov's Address to the II BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting, New Delhi
English includes full house translations. Review is pending; untranslated passages and selected digest glosses remain labelled.
| Русский | English |
|---|---|
| 11 Partner States — Deep Integration into Existing BRICS Mechanisms | |
| Уважаемые коллеги, Хотел бы поблагодарить наших индийских друзей, председателей БРИКС , в лице Министра иностранных дел Республики Индии С.Джайшанкара за выбор темы для нынешнего заседания. Она отражает стоящие перед БРИКС задачи и вызовы, которые перекликаются с ключевыми вопросами глобальной повестки дня. Приветствую участвующих в нашей дискуссии представителей государств-партнеров. Особенно важно услышать их оценки тех результатов и перспектив, которые характеризуют наше объединение в год его двадцатилетия. |
Theme summary — not a full translation of this passage Lavrov warmly welcomes partner state representatives and pushes for their substantive integration into the full range of existing BRICS cooperative mechanisms: energy, agricultural, and climate research platforms; the Vaccine Research and Development Center; the BRICS Network University; and other formats. His argument is that partner state participation brings "substantial added value" — framing inclusion as mutually beneficial rather than charity. This reflects the broader institutional logic of BRICS's 2023 expansion, when the bloc added new full members and created the partner state category. By emphasizing partner state inclusion across practical cooperation tracks — not merely political summitry — Russia pushes for a deeper and more institutionalized relationship with the Global South and East. This also serves Russia's interest in rapidly widening BRICS's membership base to dilute the relative weight of any single large member and to maximize the bloc's claim to represent the genuine global majority. Lavrov explicitly praises the Indian presidency's efforts in this direction. |
| За эти годы БРИКС прошел серьезный путь, оформился в самоценное и многогранное партнерство, охватывающее практически все сферы межгосударственного взаимодействия. Весьма показательно, что этот процесс стал результатом не бюрократического расширения областей сотрудничества, а был продиктован самой жизнью, запросами государств-членов. | English translation not available for this passage |
| 2 BRICS's Internal Culture as a Civilizational Model | |
| В рамках объединения сформирована особая культура общения, коренящаяся во взаимном уважении, суверенном равенстве, настрое на учете мнений всех, поиске общих решений и стремлении к общему благу. Именно это всегда обеспечивает БРИКС устойчивость и авторитет среди государств Мирового большинства, о чем наглядно свидетельствует и сегодняшнее заседание. |
Theme summary — not a full translation of this passage Lavrov dedicates substantial rhetorical energy to describing BRICS's internal decision-making culture as a model for international relations at large. The phrase "особая культура общения" (special culture of communication) is deliberately elevated — it frames the bloc not as a transactional grouping but as an alternative civilizational paradigm built on mutual respect, sovereign equality, consensus-seeking, and pursuit of the common good. Crucially, Lavrov attributes BRICS's organic evolution not to bureaucratic design but to the demands of member states and life itself ("была продиктована самой жизнью") — a rhetorical device casting the bloc's expansion as natural and responsive. This implicitly contrasts with Western institutions, which Russia routinely characterizes as formal and rule-based but hierarchically dominated by the United States. By foregrounding BRICS's "special culture," Lavrov constructs a soft-power argument: that the bloc's decision-making model is intrinsically more legitimate, inclusive, and durable than that of Western-led organizations — and that this explains its resilience and growing authority among the World Majority. “Within the bloc, a special culture of communication has taken shape, rooted in mutual respect, sovereign equality, attentiveness to all views, the search for shared solutions, and the pursuit of the common good.” “This is precisely what has always ensured BRICS's resilience and authority among the states of the World Majority.” |
| В условиях тектонических изменений в геополитическом и геоэкономическом ландшафте БРИКС призван выступать в качестве силы, способствующей нахождению баланса в международных отношениях, формирующей позитивную повестку дня глобального развития на основе консенсуса и равноправия. Лишь такой подход, а не конфронтация или игры с нулевой суммой, способен дать нужный результат. Важно обеспечить интересы всех участников, а в более широком смысле – всех конструктивно настроенных членов международного сообщества. | English translation not available for this passage |
| 3 Multipolar World Order — BRICS as the "Assembly Point" | |
| Видим ширящееся понимание, что БРИКС выступает в качестве «точки сборки» сил, ратующих за более справедливый, многополярный миропорядок. В целях обеспечения устойчивости на фоне глобальной нестабильности считаем необходимым сосредоточить наше взаимодействие на практических проектах, имеющих прямую проекцию на поступательное экономическое развитие и обеспечение благополучия наших народов. |
Theme summary — not a full translation of this passage This theme represents the core geopolitical argument of the speech. Lavrov frames BRICS as the "point of assembly" (точка сборки) for forces advocating a fairer, multipolar world order — a phrase positioning the bloc as the organizational nucleus of an emerging counter-hegemonic coalition. He explicitly rejects "zero-sum games" and "confrontation" as failed approaches, implicitly attributing these behaviors to the West. The term "Мировое большинство" (World Majority), standard Russian diplomatic vocabulary since 2022, suggests that BRICS and its partners represent not a minority challenge but the moral and numerical majority of humanity. Lavrov stresses that BRICS must contribute to "balance in international relations" — a formulation that frames Russia's broader project of dismantling Western hegemony as merely seeking equilibrium. The "assembly point" metaphor is particularly revealing: it presents Russia and its partners not as disruptors but as builders of an alternative architecture that others naturally gravitate toward. The word "ширящееся" (widening/growing) applied to this understanding implies an irreversible historical trend already underway. “We see a growing understanding that BRICS serves as the 'assembly point' for forces advocating a fairer, multipolar world order.” |
| 4 De-Dollarization and Cross-Border Payment Infrastructure | |
| В этом контексте важно продолжить формирование устойчивых к внешним рискам механизмов трансграничных расчетов, прежде всего в национальных валютах, равно как и инфраструктуры для наращивания взаимной торговли. Они будут органично дополнять, а вовсе не ломать существующую международную систему, способствовать выправлению её дисбалансов и повышению эффективности. Видим востребованным наращивание совместной работы стран БРИКС по недопущению нового мирового долгового кризиса. |
Theme summary — not a full translation of this passage Lavrov calls explicitly for expanding settlement mechanisms in national currencies and building alternative financial infrastructure for intra-BRICS trade. The framing is carefully calibrated: he insists these mechanisms will "organically complement, not break" the existing international system — a diplomatic hedge designed to preempt accusations of anti-Western intent, particularly aimed at fence-sitters in the Global South who trade extensively with Western markets. Yet the underlying agenda is unmistakable: reducing dependence on dollar-denominated payment systems and correspondent banking networks that Western governments can weaponize through sanctions. The phrase "устойчивых к внешним рискам" (resistant to external risks) is a coded reference to Western financial sanctions, which Russia has experienced acutely since 2022. By framing this infrastructure as correcting the existing system's "imbalances" and improving its "effectiveness," Lavrov adopts a reformist rather than revolutionary posture — but one that structurally advantages all countries seeking to reduce Western financial leverage over their cross-border transactions. “It is important to continue building cross-border settlement mechanisms that are resistant to external risks, primarily in national currencies, as well as infrastructure for expanding mutual trade.” “These will organically complement — and by no means break — the existing international system, and will contribute to correcting its imbalances and improving its effectiveness.” |
| 5 Global Debt Crisis — Systemic Risk and BRICS Response | |
| Объем совокупного глобального долга уже достиг 93%, а к 2029 г. превысит 100% ВВП планеты, что создает системные риски для устойчивости всей финансовой системы. В качестве перспективного инструмента Россия предлагает создать Новую инвестиционную платформу, которая позволила бы аккумулировать значительные средства, в том числе за счет использования цифровых активов, для реализации проектов развития на пространстве нашего объединения и в странах Глобального Юга и Глобального Востока в целом. |
Theme summary — not a full translation of this passage Lavrov raises a pointed macroeconomic alarm: total global debt has reached 93% of world GDP and is projected to exceed 100% by 2029, creating systemic risks for the stability of the entire financial system. He calls for coordinated BRICS action to prevent a new global debt crisis. The framing is strategically significant: by foregrounding debt sustainability as a shared vulnerability, Lavrov builds common cause with Global South nations heavily indebted to Western financial institutions that resent IMF conditionality and structural adjustment demands. Russia implicitly positions BRICS — and any alternative investment architecture it develops — as offering development finance not burdened by neoliberal conditionality. The specific 2029 projection gives the warning a concrete timeline, lending the argument an empirical quality that portrays Russia as a serious participant in global economic governance debates rather than merely a geopolitical disruptor. This data-driven framing is calibrated to appeal to technocratic audiences in middle-income and developing nations. “The total volume of global debt has already reached 93%, and by 2029 will exceed 100% of the planet's GDP, creating systemic risks for the stability of the entire financial system.” |
| 6 New Investment Platform and New Development Bank Reform | |
| Важную роль в осуществлении этой инициативы может сыграть Новый банк развития , очередное годовое собрание которого проходит сейчас в Москве. Добавлю, что под новые требования нынешней кризисной геоэкономической ситуации необходимо соответствующим образом скорректировать стратегию деятельности НБР и адаптировать модель его функционирования. Поддерживаем акцент индийского председательства на обеспечении продовольственной и энергетической безопасности. |
Theme summary — not a full translation of this passage Russia's most concrete institutional proposal in the speech is the creation of a "New Investment Platform" capable of aggregating significant capital — including through digital assets — to fund development projects across BRICS territory, the Global South, and the Global East. Lavrov directly links this to the New Development Bank (NDB), whose annual meeting was simultaneously convening in Moscow, and explicitly calls for the NDB's strategy and operational model to be adjusted to meet the demands of the current "crisis geo-economic situation." This dual proposal — a new investment vehicle alongside a reformed NDB — reflects Russia's frustration with the NDB's cautious post-2022 posture (the NDB suspended Russian projects following Western pressure). By proposing digital assets as a funding mechanism and calling for model reform, Lavrov is pushing for an institution that can operate independently of Western financial infrastructure. The phrase "кризисная геоэкономическая ситуация" (crisis geo-economic situation) frames the current moment as requiring institutional adaptation, implicitly blaming the crisis on Western sanctions policy. “To meet the new demands of the current crisis geo-economic situation, it is necessary to accordingly adjust the NDB's operational strategy and adapt its functioning model.” “The New Development Bank, whose next annual meeting is currently taking place in Moscow, could play an important role in implementing this initiative.” |
| 7 Food and Energy Security — The BRICS Grain Exchange Proposal | |
| Безусловно, тут у стран БРИКС и государств-партнеров имеется огромный потенциал, накоплен значительный позитивный опыт. Востребована выработка инновационных механизмов поддержания инфраструктуры экономической устойчивости в условиях масштабных кризисов. На это, в частности, направлена российская инициатива создания Зерновой биржи БРИКС, имеющей перспективу расширения и на другие продовольственные товары. |
Theme summary — not a full translation of this passage Lavrov strongly endorses the Indian presidency's focus on food and energy security and presents Russia's BRICS Grain Exchange proposal as the institutional centerpiece of the response. He frames the exchange as a mechanism for building "collective immunity to external shocks" and stabilizing global markets — language that carries pointed resonance given the disruption of global grain markets following Russia's actions in Ukraine in 2022-2023 and the subsequent grain deal diplomacy. By proposing a BRICS-managed grain exchange with expansion potential into other food commodities, Russia seeks to institutionalize its role as indispensable grain supplier to the Global South, insulating that role from Western pressure or sanctions. The "collective immunity" framing is rhetorically powerful: medical metaphors of resilience and protection against external pathogens — here, market manipulation or sanctions-induced disruption — appeal to audiences in food-import-dependent developing nations. Lavrov signals that BRICS possesses "enormous potential" and "significant positive experience" in this domain, implicitly positioning Russia as the knowledge and supply leader. “The Russian initiative for the creation of a BRICS Grain Exchange, with the prospect of expanding to other food commodities.” “There is a demand for the development of innovative mechanisms for maintaining the infrastructure of economic resilience in conditions of large-scale crises.” |
| 1 BRICS at 20 — Economic Weight and Global Ascendancy | |
| Полагаем, что такая совместная работа будет способствовать укреплению коллективного иммунитета к внешним шокам и поможет стабильности глобальных рынков. БРИКС объединяет страны, выступающие новым локомотивом роста. Наш общий вклад в мировую экономику неуклонно увеличивается, составляя сегодня почти 40% глобального валового внутреннего продукта, а с учетом государств-партнеров эта цифра еще выше. Однако динамичное развитие невозможно без инноваций, включая технологии искусственного интеллекта. |
Theme summary — not a full translation of this passage Lavrov opens by celebrating BRICS's twenty-year trajectory and grounds his celebration immediately in hard economic data: BRICS nations collectively account for nearly 40% of global GDP, a share that rises further when partner states are included. This statistical anchor is not incidental — it is rhetorical strategy. By leading with material weight, Lavrov positions BRICS's moral authority as grounded in economic reality rather than ideological aspiration, making dismissal by the West harder to sustain. The emphasis on the bloc's "steadily increasing" contribution frames BRICS's rise as organic and inevitable, a tide rather than a political project. He characterizes the bloc as having become a "multifaceted partnership encompassing virtually all spheres of interstate interaction" — a claim of comprehensiveness that reinforces the image of BRICS as a full-spectrum alternative framework rather than a single-issue economic club. The invocation of the "World Majority" as BRICS's natural constituency further signals that Russia views the bloc's audience not as existing members alone but as the entire non-Western world. “BRICS unites countries that serve as the new engine of growth.” “Our collective contribution to the world economy is steadily increasing, currently comprising nearly 40% of global gross domestic product, and with partner states included, this figure is even higher.” |
| 8 Artificial Intelligence, Innovation, and Digital Sovereignty | |
| Принятое в прошлом году совместное заявление лидеров БРИКС закрепило общее видение наших стран в этой области. Считаем назревшей задачей приступить к реализации согласованных установок на площадке ООН , включая обеспечение цифрового суверенитета, равноправного и справедливого доступа к технологиям и данным. Предлагаем также подумать над запуском совместных научных исследований, реализации образовательных программ и инвестиционных проектов в области биотехнологий и развития биоэкономики. |
Theme summary — not a full translation of this passage Lavrov addresses technological development as indispensable to BRICS's growth trajectory, specifically highlighting artificial intelligence. He calls for implementing the AI vision agreed by BRICS leaders in their 2025 joint statement at the UN level, with particular emphasis on digital sovereignty and "equitable and fair access to technologies and data." In Russian diplomatic discourse, "digital sovereignty" means the right of states to control their own digital infrastructure free from Western platform dominance, data extraction, and coercive access demands — a concept that directly challenges the operating model of US tech giants. The emphasis on "equitable access" implicitly targets Western export controls on advanced semiconductors and AI hardware. Lavrov extends the innovation agenda beyond AI to propose joint scientific research, educational programs, and investment projects in biotechnology and bioeconomy — signaling that Russia sees BRICS as the appropriate vehicle for building technological self-sufficiency across multiple strategic sectors. Routing implementation through the UN reflects Russia's consistent preference for universal multilateral bodies where it holds a veto over Western-aligned institutions. “We consider it an overdue task to begin implementing the agreed guidelines at the UN, including ensuring digital sovereignty, equitable and fair access to technologies and data.” “We also propose considering the launch of joint scientific research, educational programs, and investment projects in the field of biotechnology and bioeconomy development.” |
| 9 Security Cooperation — Terrorism, Extremism, Drugs, Corruption, and ICT | |
| С учетом комплексного характера угроз международной стабильности уделяем особое внимание укреплению сотрудничества в формате БРИКС по противодействию терроризму и экстремизму, коррупции и незаконному обороту наркотиков, обеспечению безопасности в сфере использования информационно-коммуникационных технологий. Такая совместная работа особенно актуальна в условиях, когда ряд стран используют упомянутые проблемы как предлог для экономического, политического да и военного давления на неугодные правительства. |
Theme summary — not a full translation of this passage Lavrov identifies a cluster of transnational security threats — terrorism, extremism, corruption, drug trafficking, and ICT security — as priorities for BRICS cooperation. The most revealing moment in this theme is his explicit accusation that "a number of countries" exploit these problems as pretexts for "economic, political, and even military pressure on unwanted governments." This is a barely coded accusation against the United States and its allies, who have used counter-terrorism designations, anti-corruption sanctions (notably the Global Magnitsky Act), and drug enforcement as instruments of coercive foreign policy. By raising this critique within a BRICS security cooperation agenda, Lavrov builds consensus around a conception of collective security that explicitly rejects Western-style conditionality and humanitarian interventionism. The mention of ICT security reflects Russia's ongoing efforts to advance an alternative internet governance model through the UN that would give states — rather than private platforms — greater control over information flows within their borders. The phrase "неугодные правительства" (unwanted governments) is notably frank in identifying the political logic Lavrov attributes to Western security policy. “We pay special attention to strengthening BRICS-format cooperation in countering terrorism and extremism, corruption and drug trafficking, and ensuring security in the use of information and communications technologies.” “Such joint work is especially relevant in conditions where a number of countries use the aforementioned problems as a pretext for economic, political, and even military pressure on unwanted governments.” “Taking into account the complex character of threats to international stability, we pay special attention to strengthening BRICS-format cooperation...” |
| 10 Asset Recovery — Building Common Approaches for the UN | |
| Поддерживаем настрой председательства на активизацию деятельности Экспертной сети БРИКС по возвращению активов. Это могло бы способствовать формированию общих подходов к задаче репатриации средств незаконного происхождения для последующего продвижения в ООН и на других международных площадках. |
Full house translation — pending review We support the chairmanship's intention to step up the activity of the BRICS Expert Network on Asset Recovery. This could help form common approaches to the task of repatriating funds of unlawful origin, for their subsequent advancement at the UN and on other international platforms. |
| Существенную добавленную стоимость принесло бы их участие в ряде уже созданных механизмов – платформах энергетических, сельскохозяйственных и климатических исследований, Центре исследования и разработки вакцин, Сетевом университете БРИКС и других форматах. Приветствуем нацеленность наших индийских друзей на укрепление взаимодействия с партнерами объединения, их подключение к целому ряду треков практического сотрудничества. | English translation not available for this passage |
| 12 Multilateral Coordination — UN, G20, WTO, WHO, and COP30 as Contested Terrain | |
| Завершая свое выступление, отмечу важность укрепления солидарности в рамках БРИКС в целях наращивания координации на многосторонних площадках. Позитивный пример – взаимодействие делегаций наших стран в рамках состоявшейся 10-22 ноября 2025 г. в бразильском Белене 30-й Конференции Сторон Рамочной конвенции по изменению климата, где во многом благодаря позиции государств БРИКС и стран-единомышленников удалось выйти на сбалансированные решения. |
Theme summary — not a full translation of this passage Lavrov closes the speech with a call for enhanced BRICS solidarity and coordinated bloc-level positioning across the full range of multilateral institutions: the UN, G20, WTO, WHO, and climate conferences. He cites COP30 in Belém, Brazil (November 10–22, 2025) as a concrete model of successful BRICS coordination, arguing that balanced outcomes there were achieved "in large part thanks to the position of BRICS states and like-minded countries." This serves multiple purposes simultaneously: it credits BRICS with a recent multilateral success; it frames Russia as a constructive climate actor even amid ongoing emissions controversies; and it establishes the template for future bloc-level diplomacy — arriving at multilateral forums with pre-aligned positions capable of shaping outcomes. The explicit enumeration of institutions (UN, G20, WTO, WHO) signals Russia's intent to use every available multilateral arena as terrain for advancing the multipolar agenda and contesting Western dominance over global norm-setting. Lavrov's conviction that only "active collective work" can secure the interests of the Global South and East at these institutions is the speech's closing rhetorical note. “The importance of strengthening solidarity within BRICS in order to enhance coordination on multilateral platforms.” “A positive example is the interaction of our countries' delegations at the 30th Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change, held November 10–22, 2025 in Belém, Brazil, where balanced outcomes were achieved in large part thanks to the position of BRICS states and like-minded countries.” |
| Убежден, что только за счет активной коллективной работы мы сможем добиться реального учета интересов наших государств и в целом Глобального Юга и Востока на ведущих многосторонних площадках будь то ООН, «Группа двадцати», Всемирная торговая организация , Всемирная организация здравоохранения и другие международные организации. |
Selected quote translation I am convinced that only through active collective work can we achieve genuine consideration of our states' interests, and the interests of the Global South and East as a whole, on the leading multilateral platforms... |