Putin seeks to rival West with Brics summit

Leaders from around the world, including those from China, India, and Turkey, gathered in Russia for a summit of the Brics group, an alliance of emerging economies challenging Western dominance. Russian President Vladimir Putin hopes to show that Western attempts to isolate Moscow have failed. The summit will focus on creating a payment system to rival SWIFT and addressing conflicts in the Middle East. The Kremlin aims to demonstrate that Russia has allies and is not isolated. Security measures are in place due to concerns about potential threats. The West sees the Brics group as a way for Russia to expand its influence. The group, which includes countries like Brazil and Iran, has internal divisions but is united in challenging Western power.