Dodik heads to russia for BRICS summit with Putin meeting

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"Attending the upcoming BRICS forum in Kazan is a great acknowledgment for Republika Srpska and our policy," said Milorad Dodik, as quoted by RTRS television.

The BRICS group summit (formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa since 2006, as a coalition of countries defining themselves as emerging markets) is set to take place in the city of Kazan, with Republika Srpska, a partially autonomous constituent of Bosnia and Herzegovina, participating in the discussions as an observer.

The president of Republika Srpska is expected to meet with Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, during the summit. He stated that the invitation to the event came directly from the Russian side.

During the summit, Dodik also intends to explore the possibility of engaging autonomous regions or provinces in the BRICS alliance. He revealed this in a statement to RTRS television: "We will try to investigate whether autonomous regions or provinces can be members of the alliance."

Dodik has maintained close relations with Russia for years and often expressed appreciation for the Russian leader.

"Russia is a friendly country, and I highly value President Putin, who is a man of peace, a strong leader for his country and nation. Putin is one of the world's most important leaders," he praised in one interview.

Milorad Dodik has been on the US sanctions list since 2022. The sanctions were a consequence of his actions aimed at violating the Dayton Peace Agreement, which ended the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the '90s. According to Washington, the politician was also accused of corrupt activities.

Dodik, who has frequently challenged the integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, revealed his ambitions for the future of Republika Srpska in an interview with Russian television "Russia Today" at the beginning of February 2023, stating: "I want Republika Srpska to become an independent country."

In January 2023, the president of Republika Srpska awarded Vladimir Putin the highest honor of Republika Srpska in recognition of his "patriotic stance and love" for this part of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Commenting on the war in Ukraine, Dodik stated: "Russia's victory on all fronts will also be a victory for Republika Srpska." Since the beginning of Russia's aggression in Ukraine, the president of Republika Srpska has met with Vladimir Putin five times, the last time being in June this year at a forum in St. Petersburg.

Source: PAP/WP