KAZAN, October 23. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s talks with the leaders of the countries attending the BRICS Summit in Kazan were successful, including in one-on-one interactions, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said.

"Initially, there were separate bilateral talks, which were more negotiation-like, so many issues were addressed," Ushakov told reporters. "Participants from both our side and our partners discussed a wide range of topics, both bilateral and international."

"Yesterday was a successful day," the presidential aide added.

The Ukrainian issue was also touched upon, he said. Apart from the bilateral talks, the leaders who came to the summit had an informal dinner on Tuesday, where the Russian president held one-on-one talks with almost each of them. According to Ushakov, the most important and sensitive issues were discussed during these talks.

The 16th BRICS Summit, which is the key event of Russia’s chairmanship in the association, is being held in Kazan on October 22-24. The BRICS group was founded in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, with South Africa joining it in 2011. On January 1, 2024, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, became its full-fledged members. The Kazan Summit is the first to be attended by the new members of the association. Representatives of over 30 countries are expected to take part.