Putin hosts a summit to show the West it can’t keep Russia off the global stage

Associated Press

Russian President Vladimir Putin will be shaking hands this week with multiple world leaders, including those from China, India, Turkey and Iran. They will be in the Russian city of Kazan for the summit of the BRICS bloc of developing economies. The gathering defies predictions that the war in Ukraine and an international arrest warrant against Putin would keep him off the global stage. Analysts say that for the Kremlin, it’s all about the optics of standing with its allies as well as negotiating deals to shore up its wartime economy. For other countries, it’s a chance to amplify their voices.