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.