Evolving Multilateralism: BRICS, the EU and Responses to the Russia-Ukraine Conflict

This research paper examines the evolution of multilateralism through the lens of relations between the European Union (EU) and the BRICS grouping (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), particularly against the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The author argues that a 'structural disjuncture' exists between the EU's preference for bilateral strategic partnerships and BRICS' pursuit of an inclusive, South-South multilateral model that challenges Western-led global governance and economic norms.

• A 'structural disjuncture' exists in EU-BRICS relations because neither grouping has developed a common agenda or a strategy of engagement that achieves tangible success beyond bilateral relations.
• BRICS challenges the EU's influence in global governance by advocating for the representation of developing nations and creating alternative institutions, most notably the New Development Bank (NDB). The NDB allows the bloc to move away from reliance on Western development models and Bretton Woods institutions like the World Bank and IMF.
• The EU's approach to BRICS has been to institutionalize bilateral 'strategic partnerships' with individual member states rather than engaging with the bloc as a multilateral whole. In contrast, BRICS employs an expanding approach to multilateralism, including 'BRICS Plus' and engagement with ASEAN.
• BRICS is pursuing a proposed reserve currency to reduce dependence on the US Dollar and promote economic independence. This initiative, which includes studying mechanisms for international payments, could potentially challenge the influence of the Euro.
• The Russia-Ukraine conflict has polarized the multilateral landscape; while EU members like Poland and Lithuania have focused on supporting Ukraine, BRICS members have varied responses ranging from condemnation to non-alignment, with no major sanctions or military aid provided to Ukraine.
• The development of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) represents a rare area of potential EU-BRICS cooperation, as both the EU (through political and technical support) and BRICS (through potential participation in goals like export diversification) have interests in its success.

APA

Vayez, A. (2023). Evolving Multilateralism: BRICS, the EU and Responses to the Russia-Ukraine Conflict. Africa Policy Research Institute. https://afripoli.org/evolving-multilateralism-brics-the-eu-and-responses-to-the-russia-ukraine-conflict

Chicago

Vayez, Aaliyah. Evolving Multilateralism: BRICS, the EU and Responses to the Russia-Ukraine Conflict. Africa Policy Research Institute, 2023. https://afripoli.org/evolving-multilateralism-brics-the-eu-and-responses-to-the-russia-ukraine-conflict.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Vayez |first1=Aaliyah |title=Evolving Multilateralism: BRICS, the EU and Responses to the Russia-Ukraine Conflict |publisher=Africa Policy Research Institute |date=23 August 2023 |url=https://afripoli.org/evolving-multilateralism-brics-the-eu-and-responses-to-the-russia-ukraine-conflict |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{vayez2023evolving, author = {Vayez, Aaliyah}, title = {{Evolving Multilateralism: BRICS, the EU and Responses to the Russia-Ukraine Conflict}}, institution = {Africa Policy Research Institute}, year = {2023}, month = aug, url = {https://afripoli.org/evolving-multilateralism-brics-the-eu-and-responses-to-the-russia-ukraine-conflict}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }