Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Moscow and Beijing are working closely to strengthen BRICS, positioning the grouping as a “key pillar of global architecture” while opposing what he described as “discriminatory sanctions” that hinder the socioeconomic development of member states and the wider world.
In an interview with China’s Xinhua News Agency ahead of the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, Putin highlighted Russia–China cooperation within multilateral platforms, stressing the need for joint initiatives in strategic sectors and financial reform.
“We are working closely with China within BRICS to expand its role… Together, we advance initiatives aimed at expanding economic opportunities, including common platforms for partnership in strategic sectors,” Putin said. He added that both nations stand united in resisting sanctions, which he argued obstruct global progress.
The Russian President, who is in China for the SCO Heads of State Council summit from August 31 to September 1, is also expected to hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the event.
Calling for reforms of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, Putin urged the creation of a “new financial system” based on openness, equity, and equal access for all countries. He criticised the use of financial instruments as tools of “neo-colonialism,” saying BRICS supports inclusive growth for the “Global Majority.”
“Finance must not be used as an instrument of neo-colonialism… We seek progress for the benefit of all humanity,” he stated.
Putin also praised China’s role in the G20, noting that, along with BRICS members and other like-minded nations, Russia and China have shifted the group’s agenda to reflect the priorities of the Global South. He welcomed the African Union’s inclusion in the G20, calling it a step toward “deepening synergies” between BRICS and other global forums.
