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**Headline: BRICS Summit Aims to Counter Western Influence Amid Doubts and Notable Absences**
**Brasilia, Brazil** – The 17th BRICS summit is underway in Brazil, with member nations continuing their push to reshape what they describe as a Western-dominated global order. The gathering aims to bolster economic cooperation and political influence among the bloc, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
However, the summit unfolds against a backdrop of uncertainty. President Donald Trump’s trade policies loom large, highlighting the continued economic sway of the United States. Furthermore, divisions exist within the BRICS nations regarding key geopolitical issues. While host nation Brazil has been vocal in its criticism of Israel and NATO’s increased military spending, other member states have remained more reserved.
Adding to the questions surrounding the bloc’s cohesion, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian leader Vladimir Putin are both notably absent from the summit.
Analysts like Gustavo Ribeiro, Founder and editor-in-chief of The Brazilian Report, Sergey Markov, Director at the Institute of Political Studies in Moscow, and Jayant Menon, Former lead economist at Asian Development Bank, are questioning whether BRICS still has a cohesive purpose and what can it realistically hope to do, in today’s world?
First Piper 