MOSCOW, (TDI): Two dozen world leaders are gathering in Russia on Tuesday for the BRICS summit, an alliance of emerging economies aimed at challenging Western dominance. The summit will start Tuesday.
This marks the largest such meeting in Russia since the beginning of its military campaign in Ukraine, with President Vladimir Putin looking to showcase that efforts to isolate Moscow have failed.
Key attendees include Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, all of whom are vital partners for Russia.
The summit will take place in Kazan from October 22 to 24, with Xi already en route, as reported by the Chinese state news agency Xinhua.
Moscow has prioritized expanding the BRICS group—originally composed of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—as a central tenet of its foreign policy.
Key agenda items include Putin’s proposal for a BRICS-led payment system to rival SWIFT, which Russian banks were barred from accessing in 2022, and discussions on the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
The Kremlin views this summit as a diplomatic victory, aimed at demonstrating that Russia is not isolated and has meaningful allies.
U.S. officials, however, have downplayed the notion that BRICS could pose a significant geopolitical threat, while expressing concerns over Russia’s diplomatic maneuvers amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
Also Read: BRICS to lead global economy soon: Putin
Amid steady military gains in eastern Ukraine this year, Moscow has been reinforcing its ties with adversaries of the U.S., including China, Iran, and North Korea.
Political analyst Konstantin Kalachev noted that the gathering aims to project an image of Russia as a partner in a multipolar world, countering Western pressure.
Following an ICC arrest warrant issued for Putin in 2023 related to the illegal deportation of children from Ukraine, the Russian leader had previously opted out of attending a summit in South Africa.
This time, he seeks to showcase a “multipolar world” as a counter to Western influence.
Kremlin officials assert that BRICS embodies this vision, promoting cooperation among the Southern and Eastern hemispheres based on mutual respect.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov emphasized that BRICS is gradually constructing a more equitable global order.
Also Read: Russia to Support Pakistan’s Bid for BRICS Membership
During the summit, Putin will hold individual meetings with Modi, Xi, and the leaders of South Africa and Egypt on Tuesday, followed by discussions with Erdogan and Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will also make his first trip to Russia since April 2022 to attend the summit, with a meeting with Putin scheduled for Thursday.
Security for BRICS Summit
Security measures for BRICS Summit in Kazan have been heightened, with a strong police presence reported.
Residents have been advised to stay indoors, and university students were relocated from dormitories due to the risk of long-range Ukrainian drone attacks, even though Kazan is approximately 1,000 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
As the West perceives Russia’s actions as a bid to expand its influence and reshape narratives around the Ukraine conflict, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that a Russian victory could encourage other nations.
BRICS Expansion
BRICS has grown from its initial four members in 2009 to include several emerging nations like South Africa, Egypt, and Iran.
However, the group faces internal divisions, particularly between India and China. Turkey, a NATO member with complicated relations with both Russia and the West, expressed interest in joining the bloc earlier this year.
Notably, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva canceled his attendance at the summit after suffering a head injury that resulted in a minor brain hemorrhage.
