Putin hosts Global South leaders at BRICS summit meant to counterbalance Western clout
LA TimesRussian President Vladimir Putin, front, walks with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, on Tuesday. Kremlin foreign affairs advisor Yuri Ushakov touted the summit as “the largest foreign policy event ever held” by Russia, with 36 countries attending and more than 20 of them represented by heads of state. Welcoming Xi, Putin described the relations between Moscow and Beijing as “one of the main stabilizing factors on the world arena.” He vowed to “expand coordination on all multilateral forums for the sake of global stability and a fair world order.” “Amid tectonic transformations unseen for centuries, the international situation is undergoing serious changes and upheavals,” Xi said, hailing the “unprecedented character” of Russia-China ties. During a meeting with Ramaphosa, the Russian president emphasized their shared striving for a “fair, multi-polar global order” and specifically mentioned efforts by BRICS members to create a “new independent payment system.” On Thursday, Putin is also set to meet with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, who will be making his first visit to Russia in more than two years.