Russia's backyard

What was the importance of Putin's attendance at the Caspian Summit, beginning on  June 29, 2022 and the progress of associated alliances?  This was a subject of some interesting speculation in a July 2 edition of The Duran, which I have embedded and transcribed below this introduction. For some time now the US and Russia have had increasing proxy confrontations in Russia's backyard, in the areas around and below the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea.