24 world leaders attend summit in Russia amid Ukraine war

Amid the crisis between Ukraine and Russia continues, leaders from 24 countries will attend this month’s BRICS summit in the Russian city of Kazan.

This was revealed by Yury Ushakov, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s foreign policy aide.

According to him, 24 countries will be represented “at leader level”, while the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, will participate.

Among those expected at the programme include the Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is also expected to attend amid the ongoing conflict with Israel.

Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, will also attend, following Turkey’s request to join the group of emerging economies.

According to Ushakov, leaders of 38 countries had been invited in total, with nine sending senior officials.

All the leaders of the regional CIS bloc of ex-Soviet countries would attend, he added.

“The summit in Kazan could turn into the largest-scale foreign policy event that has ever been held in our country,” Ushakov claimed.

The group takes its name from the initial letters of the five members who joined in 2009 — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — but has since expanded to include Middle Eastern countries, including Iran.

The summit will start with informal meetings on October 22 followed by a formal summit on October 23-24, Ushakov said.

The Russian President, Putin is also expected to hold “around” 20 bilateral meetings, starting October 21 and finishing October 24, Ushakov said.

Russia has come under scrutiny following its war with Ukraine which has led to loss of many lives and destructions.

For Diaspora Digital Media Updates click on Whatsapp, or Telegram. For eyewitness accounts/ reports/ articles, write to: citizenreports@diasporadigitalmedia.com. Follow us on X (Fomerly Twitter) or Facebook