Russian President Vladimir Putin and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa shared a warm and friendly moment at the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, exchanging places before greeting each other with a hug. The relaxed interaction came as leaders gathered for the 18th BRICS Summit in India.
Putin and Ramaphosa have maintained close diplomatic contact, with Russia and South Africa describing their relationship as a strategic partnership. The two leaders have also discussed cooperation through BRICS and other international forums.
The meeting comes as BRICS leaders gather against a backdrop of major global tensions, including the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. The expanded group is seeking greater cooperation on trade, investment and global governance.
Ramaphosa is using the summit to promote stronger economic ties, industrial development and investment across the Global South. South Africa is also pushing for greater trade and infrastructure cooperation among BRICS members.
Putin, meanwhile, has called for BRICS to become a more practical economic alliance, with stronger cooperation in technology, infrastructure, payments and investment.
The friendly exchange between the two leaders offered a lighter moment at a summit focused on serious geopolitical and economic challenges. Their interaction also highlighted the close ties Russia and South Africa continue to maintain within the expanding BRICS group.
