KAZAN, Russia (AP) – China’s Xi Jinping, India’s Narendra Modi and other world leaders arrived in the Russian city of Kazan on Tuesday. BRICS Summit The Kremlin has become the economic center of developing countries that want to be a rallying point to counter Western influence in world affairs.
For Russian President Vladimir Putin, the three-day meeting is also a powerful way to demonstrate the failure of U.S.-led efforts to isolate Russia over its actions in Ukraine.
Kremlin foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov called the event, attended by 36 countries and represented by heads of state from more than 20, Russia “the largest foreign policy event ever held.”
Alliance originally included BrazilRussia, India, China, and South Africa rapidly expanded to incorporate Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. turkeyAzerbaijan and Malaysia have officially applied for membership. a few others have expressed interest in participating.
Observers see the BRICS summit as part of the Kremlin’s efforts to expand economic and financial ties while appealing for support from the Global South amid rising tensions with the West.
Proposed projects include the creation of a new payment system that would provide an alternative to the global banking messaging network SWIFT and allow Moscow to do business with partners around Western sanctions.
Putin is scheduled to hold about 20 bilateral talks during his talks with Xi, Modi and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday ahead of the opening of the summit.
Mr. Xi and President Vladimir Putin announced their “open-ended” partnership weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. The two sides have already met twice this year, in Beijing in May and at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Kazakhstan in July.
President Putin welcomed Mr. Xi and described relations between Russia and China as “one of the main stabilizing factors on the world stage.” He vowed to “expand cooperation in all multilateral forums for global stability and a just world order.”
President Xi praised the “unprecedented nature” of relations between Russia and China, saying, “The international situation is experiencing profound changes and upheavals amid tectonic shifts not seen for centuries.” did.
Cooperation between Russia and India has also flourished. New Delhi considers Russia a proven partner dating back to the Cold War, even though Russia has close ties with China, India’s biggest rival.
Western allies want India to be more active in persuading Russia to end the war in Ukraine, but Prime Minister Modi has avoided blaming Russia while emphasizing a peaceful resolution.
Prime Minister Modi, who last visited Russia in July, said: “We fully support the early establishment of peace and stability.”
President Putin praised what he called a “privileged strategic partnership” between Russia and India.
During his meeting with President Ramaphosa, the Russian president emphasized the two countries’ common efforts towards a “fair multipolar world order” and made particular reference to efforts by BRICS member states to create a “new independent payments system”. .
After a dinner for the delegation, President Putin met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, who praised the “dynamic development” of Moscow-Cairo relations in recent years.
On Thursday, Putin is also scheduled to meet with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, who is making his first visit to Russia in more than two years. Guterres has repeatedly criticized Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
