In the EU, the Ukraine crisis is often portrayed as an epochal conflict with global consequences. To test this assumption, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) asked four authors from Brazil, India, China and South Africa to explain how foreign-policy elites in their countries regard the crisis. Does it pose a challenge to the international order – or is it a singularly »European« problem? In the competition between principles and pragmatism, the latter seems to prevail: Criticism of Russia’s actions vis-à-vis Ukraine is hardly voiced in public by government officials. Apparently, counterbalancing the West’s perceived dominance in international relations is thought to be more important than upholding principles. Realpolitik appears to be the order of the day in the BRICS capitals.