BRICS summit kicks off with major global launch meeting in Kazan

Leaders of 36 states to meet in BRICS Outreach/Plus format, which includes countries that are not BRICS members but interested in strengthening their ties with economic bloc

The final day of the BRICS summit in the southwestern Russian city of Kazan is underway, with the main highlight being a meeting in the BRICS Outreach/Plus format. This gathering includes nations that are not BRICS members but are interested in strengthening their ties with the economic bloc. The BRICS organizing committee has announced that 36 countries will attend the meeting, with 22 represented by heads of state, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Leaders from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America, as well as representatives of several international organizations, are in attendance. The Russian delegation is led by President Vladimir Putin. Putin has also scheduled several bilateral meetings, including with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Putin will hold a news conference to conclude the three-day summit on Thursday. On Wednesday, the BRICS leaders adopted the "Kazan Summit Declaration," which summarized the summit's outcome and Russia's term as BRICS chair.