After the Security Conference: Why Europe is Losing Ground to China, the US, and BRICS

Source: Berliner Zeitung | Original Published At: 2026-02-16 07:29:49 UTC

Key Points

• BRICS has evolved from an economic forum to an institutional force challenging Western-dominated global governance through initiatives like the New Development Bank and Contingent Reserve Arrangement.
• The 2025 BRICS summit in Rio marked a turning point, with the Rio Declaration advocating for a 'revitalized multilateralism' centered on UN reform and global South empowerment.
• Europe's strategic weaknesses include lack of institutional agility, overreliance on outdated multilateral frameworks, and failure to develop a coherent geopolitical identity amid BRICS' rise.
• BRICS' economic tools (e.g., currency swap agreements, infrastructure investments) are systematically undermining dollar dominance and creating alternative financial architectures.
• The Munich Security Index reveals divergent global priorities: BRICS populations prioritize climate and inequality, while G7 focuses on cyber threats and disinformation.