2 months ago 29

Should the EU be afraid of Russia’s 'BRICS' gang? | Radio Schuman

By Maïa de La Baume & Eleonora Vasques

The BRICS group, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, has garnered more significance since the Ukraine war. What does the EU have to fear about this expanding club of Russian allies?

What is there to fear for the EU about the BRICS summit, the group whose swelling ranks now account for 45% of the global population and 28% of the world’s GDP?

Established in 2009 by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, the group aimed to reduce reliance on the US dollar, but has evolved into a geopolitical counterbalance to the G7, with Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE joining, and NATO powerhouse Turkey looking to become a member.

The current summit appears less a display of unity among like-minded nations so much as a demonstration of Russia’s influence in shaping a new global order, despite its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, from which three of the founding BRICS members have abstained from condemning in the UN resolution.

Radio Schuman takes you to the summit today with Euronews reporter Jack Schickler.

We also look at the announcement of the Sakharov Prize winner at the European Parliament, and which EU countries haven't yet started to implement the EU minimum wage directive, with the deadline for implementation approaching...

Finally we check in on where most of millionaires will live in 2028 - spoiler alert: the leading European country is not in the EU.

Today's Radio Schuman is hosted and produced by Maïa de la Baume, with journalist and production assistant Eleonora Vasques, audio editing by Georgios Leivaditis. Music by Alexandre Jas.