KAZAN, Russia — Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged in discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the ongoing war in Ukraine during a BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia. The summit, chaired by Putin, is aimed at demonstrating that Western efforts to isolate Russia have not succeeded, while the group also considers expanding its membership.
BRICS—comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—accounts for 45% of the world’s population and 35% of the global economy. However, divisions remain among member states about how to manage a rapid expansion while maintaining geopolitical focus and achieving economic results.
In his opening remarks, Putin emphasized the unprecedented interest from over 30 countries wishing to join BRICS, but cautioned that a balance must be struck to ensure the group’s effectiveness. “It is necessary to maintain a balance and prevent a decrease in the effectiveness of the BRICS,” Putin said. He added that the summit would discuss pressing regional conflicts, including the war in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East.
China and India, both major buyers of Russian oil, play a crucial role in Russia’s economy. Russia is the world’s second-largest oil exporter, and its oil sales to these countries provide Moscow with significant foreign currency revenue. The war in Ukraine continues to cast a shadow over the summit, with Modi publicly calling for peace in Ukraine, while Xi discussed the conflict with Putin behind closed doors.
Russia controls about one-fifth of Ukraine, including Crimea, which it annexed in 2014, and large parts of the Donbas, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions. Putin has said Russia will not negotiate away these territories, which Moscow now claims as part of Russia.
BRICS, initially coined as “BRIC” by Goldman Sachs in 2001 to represent the economic potential of Brazil, Russia, India, and China, has since expanded. In recent years, the group has included South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with Saudi Arabia expressing interest but yet to formally join.
More than 20 leaders, including UAE President Sheikh Mohammed Zayed Al Nahyan and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, are attending the summit. Putin’s foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, indicated that 13 countries are being considered for BRICS expansion, but criteria must be carefully considered.
China and Brazil have been pushing for peace in Ukraine, presenting proposals for a truce at the United Nations. While Moscow has shown interest in these proposals as a potential basis for ending the war, Kyiv has criticized them, accusing Beijing and Brasília of serving Russia’s interests.
The final BRICS communique is expected to reference these peace proposals, though there remains a significant divide between Russia and Ukraine’s respective conditions for ending the conflict.