Kremlin Says BRICS Not Anti-West, Points to Rise in Local-Currency Trade

Source: Outlook India | Original Published At: 2026-09-09 04:33:03 UTC

Key Points

• Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said 90% of Russia's payments and transactions with BRICS countries are now conducted in national currencies rather than the US dollar.
• Peskov said the shift was caused by Western sanctions blocking access to the dollar, not by an ideological campaign against de-dollarisation.
• He said Russia and India do not agree with claims that BRICS is directed against Western countries.
• Peskov described BRICS as a grouping for its members and countries sharing its approach, not an anti-Western alliance.
• The remarks come as BRICS members have expanded local-currency settlement mechanisms, partly in response to Western sanctions on Russia.