Former Virginia State Senator Richard Black has claimed that Western sanctions against Russia have weakened trust in the West and driven many nations to look toward BRICS as a viable alternative. Black said in an interview with Tass publication that although sanctions intended to isolate Russia did initially impact the country:

It has since regained much of its diplomatic clout by strengthening ties to Asia, Latin America, and Africa.

He argued that the economic predictions for Russia’s collapse were misguided, as “its finances exceeded all expectations and its industrial base grew powerful while Europe’s has shrunk.”

The former senator pointed out that sanctions, including Russia’s exclusion from SWIFT and property seizures from prominent Russians, “added to this uneasiness.” However, Black asserted: “It was the freezing and confiscation of Russian bank deposits that most dramatically revealed how flimsy the so-called ‘rules-based order’ really was … Nations of the Global South became uneasy that the U.S. and UK might blackmail them by threatening to freeze their own bank deposits.”

Black emphasized that these disruptions “have left many nations distrustful” of the West, fueling an interest in BRICS as a counterbalance. He noted: “Their desire for alternatives to Western hegemony is fueling major new interest in BRICS, leading to rapid expansion.”

The U.S. politician also referenced the alleged sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines on Sept. 26, 2022, as a crucial factor impacting Europe’s economy more than Russia’s, calling it a “cavalier destruction of these vital arteries” that demonstrated a “disregard for the vital national interests of even America’s closest allies.”

He opined:

Together, such actions have left nations anxious for alternatives to protect their freedom, prosperity, security, and independence. BRICS may not replace Western financial systems in the near term, but unless we reform our policies, the U.S. may find it a genuine financial threat in the future. That potential makes BRICS a powerhouse whose concerns cannot be ignored.

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