Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Russia and China oppose discriminatory sanctions against BRICS countries.

In an interview with a news agency, he said, the two countries have taken a common stand against sanctions that hinder the socioeconomic development of BRICS member countries.

The Russian President said that both are paying special attention to mobilising additional resources for critical infrastructure projects, and stand united in strengthening BRICS’ ability to address pressing global challenges.

Mr Putin arrived in Tianjin this morning at the start of a four-day official visit to China. He will be taking part in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit and attend commemorative events marking the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II.

Mr Putin is scheduled to hold around ten bilateral meetings with foreign leaders on the sidelines of the summit, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.