Russian President Vladimir Putin has presided over a closing session of a summit of the BRICS bloc of developing economies, hailing its role as a counterbalance to the West.

President Vladimir Putin welcomed his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, to Russia on Tuesday, as the Kremlin head prepares to host several leaders of developing nations at an intergovernmental summit this week.

Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin discussed the situation in Ukraine and "further contacts to continue dialogue" with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the BRICS summit in Russia. Source: Russian propaganda outlets TASS and RBC;