Moscow, Oct 10 (Sputnik).- The leaders of 24 countries will attend the BRICS summit, which will be held in the Russian city of Kazan from October 22 to 24, presidential advisor Yuri Ushakov announced on Thursday.
“It could become the largest foreign policy event ever organized in our country,” the official said. «Invitations to the summit have been sent to 38 States […] “32 countries have already confirmed their participation,” he stressed, adding that 24 countries will be represented at the highest level, that is, by heads of state, and eight by second or third lines.
Ushakov also commiserated with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the large number of bilateral meetings he will have to hold these days. «We have more than enough planned [encuentros]. I would like to commiserate in advance with our president, [porque] there will be so many meetings. We began to celebrate them not on October 22, but on October 21. And all bilateral meetings will last until the late afternoon of October 24,” he said. In total, according to Ushakov, Putin will hold about 20 bilateral meetings.
Meanwhile, according to the adviser, the West put pressure on other countries in the days before the summit. This is the current situation. «Naturally, there was pressure on certain countries. But representation, as I have already noted, including that of African countries, is very significant. “The facts speak for themselves,” he said. Ushakov suggested that the pressure will continue, because it is “quite obvious” that not all countries are interested in the success of the Kazan summit.
Russia assumed the presidency of the BRICS from January 1, 2024. This year, five countries joined the organization: Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Ethiopia. The number of participants together with Russia, Brazil, India, China and South Africa reached ten.
According to the Russian president, the enlargement demonstrates the growing authority of the bloc, as well as its key role in international affairs. Furthermore, the president asserted in September that currently 34 countries have expressed their desire to join the BRICS in one way or another.
