BRICS Summit: Putin's Bid to Boost Russia's Global Influence

In the Russian city of Kazan, President Vladimir Putin recently wrapped up a major BRICS summit. This meeting brought together 36 countries, including the original members: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The summit aimed to strengthen financial ties and create alternatives to Western-dominated systems. Putin highlighted the shared values and goals of the participating countries, emphasizing the need for a new democratic global order. Russia has been pushing for a new payment system to bypass Western sanctions. The summit's joint declaration expressed concern over unilateral sanctions and reaffirmed the group's commitment to better financial cooperation. China's President Xi Jinping emphasized the bloc's role in global security and proposed a peace plan for Ukraine, although Ukraine has rejected it. Putin also met with U. N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, sparking disapproval from Kyiv.