Putin and Xi Jinping to Discuss 'Sending Forces to North Korea'... 'Biggest Ever' BRICS Summit Opens

[Anchor]
The BRICS Summit, a consultative body of non-Western countries challenging the U.S.-centered world order, will be held in Kazan, Russia, for three days from today.

Russian President Putin of the host country meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the meeting, and attention is being paid to what kind of dialogue he will have over North Korea's dispatch of troops to Ukraine, which has caused international repercussions.

Reporter Lee Kyung-ah reports.

[Reporter]
Leaders from all over the world arrive one after another in Kazan, Russia.

The largest BRICS summit ever, involving 36 countries and six international organizations.

China, India, Turkiye, Iran, and other countries that gather in one place alone are 22.

Of these, attention is by far focused on the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

[Vladimir Putin / Russian President: There is no doubt that cooperation between Russia and China on the international stage is one of the key elements of global strategic stability. This is an obvious fact that many people agree on. Relations with China are based on equality and take into account mutual interests.]

Putin has warned that the summit will discuss international issues, including the war in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East.

Therefore, it is expected that the North Korean military's dispatch of troops to Ukraine, which has been revealed one after another in the bilateral meeting with President Xi Jinping, will be dealt with in some form.

While Russia has not confirmed that it has dispatched North Korean troops, China has only announced the principle that "the parties should strive to ease the situation and solve political problems."

China, which has shown strong antipathy to the U.S.-led international order, expressed expectations for the summit.

[Lyn Jen / Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson: I would like to reiterate that this year is the first year for greater BRICS cooperation. This will be the first summit of the expanded BRICS, which will attract a wide range of interest from the international community.]

Putin says more than 30 countries are hoping to join the BRICS and is eager to discuss further member states.

Russia and China, which lead the BRICS, are trying to expand their influence to developing countries centered on the southern hemisphere, the so-called "Global South," amid conflicts with the United States.

[Alexander Gabyev / Director of Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center: Russia believes that if China and Russia, India, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia create a consultative body that is a significant partner of the United States, it will be difficult for the United States to pursue and sanction the consultative body.]

Putin will hold a press conference after the three-day BRICS summit to explain the results.

I'm YTN Lee Kyungah.