On 22 October, "one of the largest international meetings Russia has ever held" begins in Kazan. Originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS), the three-day summit will bring together leaders from the BRICS countries, plus new members Ethiopia, Egypt, Iran the United Arab Emirates, and other guests. More than thirty states will host around 20,000 delegates in Russia's fifth-largest city.
Guests include, among others, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Iranian President Masoud Peshkyan, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Egyptian President Abdel Fatah Es-Sisi, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. The representatives of Saudi Arabia and UN Secretary-General António Guterres are also expected in Kazan. Russian President Vladimir Putin will also hold bilateral talks with them.
Interestingly, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will not be attending the summit because he suffered a cut on his head in a domestic accident and his doctor has temporarily banned him from long flights.
