Putin ends BRICS summit that sought to expand Russia’s global clout but was shadowed by Ukraine

KAZAN, Russia (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin has presided at the closing session of a summit of the BRICS bloc of developing economies, hailing its role as a counterbalance to the West. The three-day summit in the city of Kazan was attended by leaders or representatives of 36 countries, highlighting the failure of U.S.-led efforts to isolate Russia over Ukraine. The conflict came up repeatedly at the meeting, which saw the development of alternatives to Western-dominated payment systems. The alliance that initially included Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa has expanded to embrace Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Putin said the countries “share similar aspirations and values and a vision of new democratic global order.”