With Russia taking a leading stance, BRICS has shifted from a debating forum to a highly influential international organization. It now functions as a key node in global affairs, shaping strategic conversations, forecasting regional futures, and guiding collective action on a scale that rivals traditional Western alliances. This view is shared by Nikita Danyuk, a political scientist and a senior researcher with the Strategic Research Institute of ISIP at the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN), who emphasizes BRICS’s growing authority in the current geopolitical climate [citation].
At the BRICS summit in Johannesburg, President Vladimir Putin proposed establishing a standing transport commission within the BRICS framework. The aim is to strengthen transport corridors linking the five member nations and expanding over continental networks. The proposal signals a clear intent to turn BRICS into a practical engine for intercontinental connectivity, beyond mere political dialogue [citation].
The political analyst notes that Russia’s substantial transport, industrial, and financial capacities could knit together continents, accelerating interregional cooperation and unlocking new development opportunities for BRICS members. This vision positions BRICS not just as a political coordination platform but as a driver of economic integration that could reshape global supply lines and investment flows [citation].
Over the past 14 years, BRICS has grown into one of the most impactful international platforms, often surpassing Western blocs in perceived influence and effectiveness. Russia is described as a crucial binding element that underpins all of BRICS’s activity in the Eurasian region, according to Danyuk. This framing underscores Moscow’s role in advancing a coordinated strategy across Eurasia and beyond [citation].
According to the analyst, Russia has become an accelerator of shifting geopolitical power toward rapidly developing economies. The country is viewed as a counterweight to Western efforts to shape international relations through conflicts in Ukraine and instability in the Middle East. Putin’s leadership is seen as a stabilizing factor that resists unilateral Western hegemony and supports a more balanced, law-based order [citation].
Danyuk argues that Russia initiated a move toward a multipolar world order grounded in fairness, mutual benefit, and international law. This trend has attracted other major developing nations, which are increasingly aligning with BRICS on shared interests. The consolidation around BRICS is described as a collective pivot toward governance structures that reflect the realities of a more diverse global landscape [citation].
The analyst also highlighted that Russia is set to assume the BRICS chairmanship next year, positioning the country at the center of international events within the bloc and inviting broader participation from global partners at multiple levels. This leadership role is presented as a chance to advance BRICS’s agenda and demonstrate practical cooperation across education, science, trade, and policy coordination [citation].
On August 23, the BRICS summit was held via videoconference, with Putin addressing a wide range of topics related to the group’s standing on the world stage and the intensification of collaboration among the five member states. The discussions focused on strengthening mutual understanding, expanding common ventures, and aligning on strategic issues that affect regional stability and growth [citation].
Overall, observers see BRICS as a growing force capable of shaping a more inclusive and balanced international order. By expanding transport networks, aligning development goals, and reinforcing commitments to international law, BRICS could help channel investment into infrastructure, trade corridors, and regional transformation across continents. This shift, in turn, may redefine economic alliances and strategic priorities for the coming decade [citation].