Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other world leaders today arrived in the Russian city of Kazan for the BRICS summit, the Associated Press reported, citing BTA.
The three-day forum provides an opportunity for Russian President Vladimir Putin to demonstrate that US efforts to isolate Russia over the war in Ukraine are not succeeding, AP notes. According to Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov, the event is “the largest foreign policy event ever held in Russia”. 36 countries are participating, 20 of which are represented by heads of state.
The BRICS alliance, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and the Republic of South Africa, last year expanded its membership to include Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Turkey, Azerbaijan and Malaysia have also expressed a desire to join.
The meeting in Kazan is part of the Kremlin's efforts to show that Russia has support from the Global South, despite the conflict with the West. An important element of the program is the discussion of an alternative system for interbank payments to bypass Western sanctions.
Putin will hold a number of bilateral meetings, including talks with Xi Jinping, Modi and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. He is also expected to meet UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who has not visited Russia in two years. Guterres has repeatedly condemned Russian actions in Ukraine.