Blaming “selfish actions” by western countries for the economic crisis arising due to sanctions, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for the strengthening of the Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa (BRICS) grouping at a virtual summit of BRICS leaders hosted by China, in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the other leaders discussed the situation in Ukraine and Afghanistan on Thursday.
While PM Modi focussed on the importance of BRICS in the post-pandemic global economic recovery, Chinese President Xi Jinping called on members to reject the “Cold war mentality” and oppose what he called the US and EU’s “unilateral sanctions”.
The Beijing summit declaration said that BRICS countries recalled their national positions as expressed at the United Nations over the past few months.
