Russian President Vladimir Putin called Chinese President Xi Jinping his “dear friend,” amid growing cooperation between Moscow and Beijing, as the leaders met at the BRICS summit in Kazan.

“The world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, and the international situation is chaotic and intertwined," Xi told Putin, adding that ties between the countries have “injected strong impetus into the development, revitalization and modernization of the two countries” and “made important contributions to upholding international equity and justice.”

The BRICS alliance refers to a grouping of emerging economies whose core members are Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, but has been expanding rapidly to include Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. In addition, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Malaysia have formally applied to become members, while other countries have expressed their interest in joining the alliance.