Don't underestimate BRICS summit - former Russian lawmaker 

He shared his opinions on Espreso TV.

"We can express our irony about this as much as we want, but the BRICS summit is a serious matter. The summit brought together countries that account for about 30% of the world’s GDP and more than 2 billion people. This is part of the new global order and the ongoing confrontation between the global North and South. Putin is trying to leverage this by China, India, Brazil, and others playing by the rules, while he is ready to break those rules, fight, and essentially 'pull chestnuts out of the fire' for China and other nations," Ponomarev said.

Read also: BRICS vs. GGUAF: Global West must counteract expansion of Global South

He added that China appears to be the primary beneficiary of both the summit and the war in Ukraine. 

"Regardless of how the war ends, it seems that China will come out on top. The only scenario in which China loses is if there are political changes in Russia. If that doesn’t happen, they will win. That’s why they’re willing to invest money, attend summits, and compete with America and other Western nations," he explained.

• On Tuesday, October 22, the BRICS summit kicked off in Kazan, Russia, with notable attendees including UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas were also present.