Putin sends defiant message to the West as he gathers world leaders for BRICS summit to show sanctions aren't working (but cracks are showing between his most powerful 'allies')

World leaders descended on the Russian city of Kazan today for a summit of BRICS - a major diplomatic event that Vladimir Putin hopes will be a milestone in his effort to erode the political and economic dominance of his Western foes. Russia's President Vladimir Putin meets with the heads of leading media outlets from the BRICS member countries ahead of this week's summit President of Russia Vladimir Putin and President of China Xi Jinping at the ceremony held to welcome the heads of BRICS delegations Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russia's President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attend a concert prior to an informal dinner on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan President Xi Jinping and Russia's President Vladimir Putin attend a concert prior to an informal dinner on the sidelines of the BRICS South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan pictured before the BRICS Summit Indian Prime Minister Modi does not share Putin's vision of a BRICS designed to challenge and undermine the West, and is likely to put up fierce resistance if Putin insists on forging this path The acronym BRIC was originally coined in 2001 by Goldman Sachs banker Jim O'Neill, who predicted that Brazil, Russia, India and China would be the world's largest economies by 2050. Modi does not share Putin's vision of a BRICS dedicated to undermining the West Chinese President Xi Jinping arriving at Kazan International Airport prior to the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, 22 October 2024 The spectre of the Ukraine war looms large over the BRICS summit South African President Cyril Ramaphosa with fellow BRICS leaders President of Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, President of China Xi Jinping, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov pose for a family photo There has even been talk of BRICS countries developing a brand-new shared currency, similar to the Euro, that would allow members to break free from the dollar. Russian President Vladimir Putin and United Arab Emirates President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan looks on, while visiting the Primakov Gymnasium, October 21 2024 South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands in St. Petersburg, Russia An aerial view shows the destroyed city of Vovchansk in the Kharkiv Region near the border with Russia, on October 2, 2024 in Vovchansk, Ukraine Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian pose for a photo at their meeting in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on Oct. 11, 2024 Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shake hands as they pose for photos during a meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, on July 3, 2024 Although both countries are united in their mutual disdain for the West, primarily the US, China is building a considerable economic and strategic advantage over Russia that could see Putin's influence in BRICS fade over time. Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a plenary session of the BRICS Business Forum in Moscow, Russia, 18 October 2024 Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meet at a ceremony in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, on July 9, 2024 Chinese President Xi Jinping attending a welcoming ceremony as he arrives at Kazan International Airport prior to the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, 22 October 2024 China is becoming more politically and militarily assertive in the Indo-Pacific Despite the evident cracks appearing in the BRICS wall, Russian officials and analysts are insistent the summit showcases the Kremlin's enduring power on the world stage and the failure of Western sanctions to isolate Putin.