Russian, Venezuelan presidents hold bilateral meeting at 2024 BRICS Summit in Kazan

KAZAN, October 23. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin and President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro are holding on Wednesday a bilateral meeting at the 2024 BRICS Summit in Kazan.
The leaders of Russia and Venezuela are expected to discuss bilateral issues and cooperation within the BRICS framework.
Other Russian representatives participating in the talks are: Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak; Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk, Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov, Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov, Energy Minister Sergey Tsivilev, civilian nuclear power corporation Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachyov, head of consumer rights watchdog Rospotrebnadzor Anna Popova and Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin.
The Venezuelan leader’s visit to Russia was initially expected last year but his trip had been repeatedly postponed, but his trip has been repeatedly postponed over schedule mismatches.
Earlier, Venezuelan Ambassador to Moscow Jesus Rafael Salazar Velasquez said Maduro had received an invitation to attend the BRICS Summit personally from Putin. The Venezuelan president has stressed that his country is looking to take part in BRICS projects, including to establish an alternative to SWIFT.