Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed leaders from 36 countries to the BRICS summit in Kazan for talks in defiance of western efforts to isolate Russia because of the war in Ukraine.
On Wednesday, Putin lauded the newly expanded BRICS group, saying it shows a "multipolar world" is taking shape, during the formal opening of the leaders’ summit in Russia’s Kazan
He said that BRICS "meets the aspirations of the main part of the international community, the so-called world majority.”
“It's especially in demand in the current conditions, when truly dramatic changes are taking place in the world, and the process of forming a multipolar world is underway,” Putin added.
This is the first summit that Russia is hosting since BRICS expanded to nine members in January, with the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia joining Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa in the organization.
"It would be wrong to ignore the unprecedented interest of the countries of the Global South and East in strengthening contacts with BRICS," Putin said to his fellow leaders.
He further added, "At the same time, it is necessary to maintain a balance."
Moreover, Vladimir Putin will have separate talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iran's Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the summit later Wednesday.
