Russia believes it is too early to discuss further BRICS expansion, following the recent increase in the group’s membership, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister and BRICS Sherpa, Sergei Ryabkov, said in an interview with the online publication New Eastern Outlook. The full interview was published on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s website.
“Considering that BRICS has just doubled its membership this year, it might be a bit premature to talk about another wave of expansion. We must recognize the importance of sustaining the current level of practical cooperation within BRICS and ensuring that the mechanisms already in place continue to deliver high-quality results,” Ryabkov stated. He added, “At the same time, we cannot ignore the growing interest from countries in the Global South and East in building stronger ties with BRICS.”
Ryabkov mentioned that over 30 countries have shown interest in establishing some form of relationship with BRICS. “The group remains open to all those who seek a reliable and equal dialogue and who share the values of BRICS,” he said.
The Deputy Minister further noted that after last year's BRICS summit in South Africa, foreign ministers were given the task of defining the framework for a new “partner state” category and identifying potential candidates. “This work is almost complete. We anticipate concrete results by the upcoming BRICS summit in Kazan this October,” he concluded.
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Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on TASS materials