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

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday closed a summit of the BRICS bloc of developing economies, praising its role as a counterbalance to what he called the West’s “perverse methods.”

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 its actions in Ukraine.