Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and other global leaders arrived in Kazan, Russia, on Tuesday for a BRICS summit aimed at strengthening the bloc’s role in global affairs and resisting Western influence. The summit serves as a key opportunity for Russian President Vladimir Putin to counter U.S.-led efforts to isolate Russia over its actions in Ukraine.
Kremlin foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov described the event as Russia’s largest foreign policy gathering, with 36 countries attending, over 20 of them represented by heads of state.
BRICS, originally composed of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, has expanded to include nations like Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia. Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Malaysia have formally applied to join, with others expressing interest.
Observers see the summit as part of the Kremlin’s strategy to gain support from the Global South and deepen economic and financial ties. Proposed initiatives include the creation of an alternative payment system to bypass Western sanctions and the global SWIFT banking network.
Putin held bilateral talks with Xi, Modi, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa before the summit’s opening, emphasizing strong ties with China and India. Putin praised Russia’s strategic partnerships with these nations and underscored BRICS’ efforts to establish a “new independent payment system.”
The summit will also feature discussions with leaders such as Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and a meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who has been a vocal critic of Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
