Russia, China foreign ministers set for BRICS meet in South Africa with war in Ukraine on agenda

The Russian and Chinese foreign ministers are set to meet with their counterparts from the BRICS economic bloc of developing nations in South Africa on Thursday. Discussions will start with “an exchange of views” on major geopolitical issues, including the war in Ukraine, South Africa’s ambassador to the bloc said. The meeting in Cape Town is expected to provide a stark counterpoint to the position of the United States and its Western allies. Speaking earlier on Thursday, the South African ambassador referred to the West’s military aid to Ukraine as one of the things that “fuels the conflict.” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Chinese counterpart Qin Gang are expected to attend Thursday's meeting at a luxury Cape Town hotel.