Moscow.- The Russian capital is hosting these days a council chaired by the head of the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin, and which, under the guise of the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Red Army over Nazi Germany in World War II, brings together the leaders who advocate for a new alternative world order.
Putin, who in October 2024 already broke his diplomatic isolation due to the war with the BRICS group summit in Kazan, will be escorted on Friday during the military parade in Red Square by the Chinese and Brazilian leaders, and accompanied by presidents and prime ministers from almost thirty countries.
With the war in Ukraine in sight, Putin declared a unilateral 72-hour ceasefire that came into effect last midnight, but the Ukrainian leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, threatens to spoil the party by not joining the truce.
Russia has accused some European countries of trying to abort this conclave by closing their airspace to flights of some leaders, specifically Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.
Guests of honor, from Asia to Latin America
The guests from the four continents, including several leaders considered authoritarian by the West and human rights organizations, will be feted today and tomorrow with a gala reception, a banquet, and a concert.
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The Chinese Xi Jinping, who had not visited Russia for two years, is the guest of honor. His presence today in the Kremlin and tomorrow in Red Square is a demonstration that the United States has not managed to drive a wedge between the two allies, despite the recent rapprochement between Putin and the U.S. President, Donald Trump.
Following him is another flag-bearer of a multipolar world, the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who was unable to participate in the BRICS summit due to a domestic accident.
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Lula, who said he came in peace, has always wanted to take on a mediating role in resolving the conflict in Ukraine. It is unknown whether he will meet with the Venezuelan leader, Nicolás Maduro, whose entry into the BRICS Group was rejected by Brazil.
The controversial leaders of African countries such as Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Traoré, and Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang, will also participate in the celebrations; the leader of the Burmese military junta, Min Aung Hlaing, and the authoritarian Belarusian president, Alexander Lukashenko.
The big absentee will be the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, who could not be absent from his country amid the military escalation with neighboring Pakistan.
New global consensus
Putin -who has never accepted the outcome of the Cold War- and his guests want a place of honor at the table for dividing spheres of influence when a new global consensus is forged.
That new world order cannot be led by the West, while the UN Security Council must include countries like India, South Africa or Indonesia, but never the defeated in World War II, Japan or Germany.
In that new Yalta -in reference to the 1945 conference-, which will be a direct consequence of the outcome of the war in Ukraine, NATO must limit itself to Western Europe and never approach the Russian borders or interfere in the Asia Pacific region.
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The United States and, to a lesser extent, European countries would be the main losers in this new consensus in which non-interference in internal affairs will be the dogma ahead of democratic values or human rights.
In a preview of that new “conspiracy”, Chinese military personnel will parade tomorrow through the cobblestones of Red Square and North Korean soldiers fought alongside the Russians in the liberation of the Kursk region.
Moscow, a Fortress
Moscow has become a maximum security fortress these days. In addition to the notable increase in the police presence on the streets and the metro, the authorities have decided to limit the use of the internet in the center of the capital in anticipation of possible provocations.
Just as he did at Easter, Putin declared a ceasefire “for humanitarian reasons”, although everyone understood that what really worries the Kremlin is the safety of its guests.
The ceasefire came into effect at midnight, hours after the plane with Xi landed, who will remain in Moscow until Saturday.
Zelenski accepted the Easter truce, but categorically rejected the Victory Day truce, and insisted on his demand that Moscow declare a 30-day renewable ceasefire.
“Our position is very simple for all countries traveling to Russia on May 9. We cannot be held responsible for what happens on the territory of the Russian Federation,” he said.
However, Ukrainian drones stopped being of value right at midnight after causing a real airport chaos in Russia during the last few days with tens of thousands of affected passengers.
