The Kremlin website reported on a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the President of the BRICS New Development Bank Dilma Rousseff, on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. The exchange clearly continued their more-than-cordial political relationship, including on pressing issues facing the BRICS.
Putin stated: “I am very glad to see you here, and first of all I want to congratulate you on your re-election to the position of the head of the New Development Bank…. Of course, there are issues that require special attention. I mean the expansion of the possibility of settlements in national currencies, and further joint efforts to create a digital platform for settlements and investments.
“At the last summit of BRICS leaders, we also talked about this in detail. I am aware that you also support all these initiatives, and I really hope that we will work together in these areas.”
Rousseff responded in kind: “I would also like to thank you for the fact that the Russian Federation proposed my candidacy for re-election as the NDB president…. Of course, we face a number of challenges. As you, Mr. President, correctly said, these are mutual settlements in national currencies, as well as the creation of digital platforms for the implementation of mutual settlements, including in local currencies. Currently, there are various mechanisms that make it possible to tokenize mutual settlements.
“The second very important issue, which I would like to touch on, is the expansion of member countries of the international development bank, as well as the addition of new member-partners of the bank. Two countries have already been selected as new members: Uzbekistan and Colombia. And two more countries are still under consideration: Ethiopia and Indonesia.”
