The U.S. slapped heavy sanctions on Russia after its Feb. 2022 invasion of Ukraine, including major blocks on the transactions of Russian financial institutions, banning U.S. imports of Russian energy products, and personal sanctions on Russian oligarchs in Putin's inner circle.

Representing 41.1% of the world’s population and 37.3% of its GDP, the bloc aims to counterbalance United States-led Western alliances.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping discussed the war in Ukraine and relations with the West at length on the first day of the BRICS summit, the Kremlin said on Tuesday.