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On Tuesday, the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India and China will be meeting in Yekaterinburg for the first summit of the BRIC powers. It remains unclear what the BRIC leaders have in common, and what -- if anything -- they expect to achieve in Yekaterinburg. But there is no doubt that the international system is in a critical condition, while political elites around the world are facing severe domestic challenges. Maybe, just maybe, the BRIC initiative will produce a new approach.

Since 2006, the BRIC foreign ministers have met three times on the edges of other international gatherings. They held their first formal meeting in Yekaterinburg in May 2008. This week will be the first summit of BRIC national leaders: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Presidents Hu Jintao...