Final touches underway to wrap up BRICS Parliamentary Forum in St. Petersburg

The event will bring together legislators from BRICS member states to share experiences and enhance cooperation among them. About 400 participants are expected to take part in the forum, and the main theme is "The Role of Parliaments in Strengthening Multilateralism for Equitable Global Development and Security.”

The delegations of both chambers of the Russian Parliament will be headed by Chairperson of the Federation Council Valentina Matvienko and Chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will also join the Forum's efforts, as Matvienko reported.

Stay tuned to Sputnik for further updates!

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🎥 The Plenary session of BRICS Parliamentary Forum has started in St. Petersburg

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Day two of the NATO summit and the alliance’s message to China is one of the main topics in Western media:

🔸NYT: Just a year ago, leaders were hesitant to challenge China - especially countries like Germany, which views China as the most important market for expensive cars and luxury goods.

🔸El Mundo: NATO wants its 75th summit to be remembered for China-related messages.

🔸Washington Post: The alliance is seeking to make itself "Trump-proof" in light of Trump's possible victory in the November election. NATO leaders are wary of the skeptic Trump and his unpredictability in relations with the alliance.

🔸Le Point: For the leaders of the US and France, the summit comes at “the worst possible time” for them. Macron arrived at the meeting a day later than the others and did not say a word. Biden is trying to demonstrate vigor under pressure from party members.

In turn, the Chinese embassy in the US told Sputnik that Beijing is against mentioning itself as a “threat” in NATO documents and believes that the alliance should stop making unfounded accusations.

China emphasizes that trade relations with Russia follow market rules and WTO principles and such cooperation is not subject to any criticism. The country also rejects all claims of complicity in the Ukrainian conflict, noting that it does not supply weapons to either side.

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West sees Zelensky as cash cow despite illegitimate rule, plans to keep him in power 'for now' – Russian intel

The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has released information obtained from Russian covert operatives, shedding light on the direct involvement of the collective West in the proxy conflict in Ukraine.

According to the declassified information, the US State Department and the European External Action Service are worried about the increasing distrust among Ukrainians towards the state institutions of the Kiev regime, as well as towards Volodymyr Zelensky's rule, which they consider illegitimate. Despite this, Washington and Brussels would prefer Zelensky to remain in power, as lucrative war profiteering schemes are tied to him. Zelensky's opponents are advised to exercise restraint "for the time being."

The declassified information also unveils:

◾️ The search for an alternative to Zelensky is currently underway, with ongoing contacts being maintained with key figures including ex-president Petro Poroshenko (leader of the European Solidarity party), Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko, former Ukrainian commander-in-chief Gen. Valery Zaluzhny, and Ukrainian aide Andriy Yermak. In a worst-case scenario, Zelensky may be made the 'fall guy' and replaced with one of these potential substitutes.

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France prepares to deploy 2,000 servicemen in Ukraine while US recruits drug cartel goons to fight for Kiev regime – Russian intel

The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has released information obtained from Russian covert operatives, shedding light on the direct involvement of the collective West in the proxy conflict in Ukraine.

◾️ The French Defense Ministry is worried about the increasing number of casualties among its citizens in Ukraine. This concern was highlighted by the recent incident in Kharkov on January 16 where 'dozens' of French nationals were killed when a temporary deployment point of foreign mercenaries was destroyed by the Russian armed forces. Despite this, a French contingent of 2,000 men is being prepared for deployment to Ukraine.

◾️ The FBI, US private military companies (PMCs), and the DEA have ramped up efforts to recruit imprisoned members of Mexican and Colombian drug cartels to fight in Ukraine in return for a full pardon. The first such group numbering several hundred people is to be dispatched to Ukraine in the summer. If the pilot project is successful, it may be extended to include other countries with a high crime rate.

◾️ The United States is attempting to steer the investigation into the May assassination attempt on Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in a specific direction. Their objective is to present the incident as a lone wolf attack with no connections to foreign entities. This is being done to prevent it from being exposed as an act of targeting individuals with dissenting viewpoints, such as Fico and Hungary's Prime Minister Victor Orban.

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