A summit of leaders from the BRICS group of major emerging economies kicks off in Brazil Sunday – but without the top leader of its most powerful member.

As Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping skip the BRICS Summit in Brazil, here’s how the expansion of the group has led to the emergence of an ideological divide.

Leaders of the BRICS group of major emerging economies are meeting in the Brazilian metropolis of Rio de Janeiro on Sunday for a two-day summit. The BRICS acronym is derived from the initial letters of the founding member countries: Brazil,