Russian President to Meet Mexican Counterpart on Sidelines of BRICS Summit

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet his Mexican counterpart Enrique Pena Nieto on the sidelines of the ongoing BRICS summit in China on Tuesday.

The two leaders are expected to discuss the current state and prospects for development of bilateral ties and the foreign policy cooperation, including in the international organizations, according to Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov. Putin and Pena Nieto are also expected to touch upon the topical issues of the Latin American regional policy, primarily the situation in Venezuela.

The three-day BRICS summit in China's city of Xiamen kicked off on Sunday. The event is being held in a new so-called BRICS Plus format, with leaders of such non-BRICS countries as Egypt, Mexico, Thailand, Guinea and Tajikistan also taking part in the event alongside the leaders of the five BRICS nations — Russia, China, Brazil, South Africa and India.

On August 14, Mexican Ambassador to Russia Norma Pensado Moreno told Sputnik in an interview that the Latin American nation was willing to increase trade with Russia, as well as to facilitate investment between the two countries.

Both Mexico and Russia are members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, G20 major economies and the United Nations. Mexico is Russia's third-largest trading partner in Latin America.