As many as 34 countries have already expressed a desire to participate in BRICS in some capacity, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with the group’s high representatives in charge of security, Caspian Energy Media reports with reference to TASS.
"We cannot ignore the growing interest in BRICS on the part of many countries. As of today, over thirty countries, 34 countries, to be precise, have already expressed interest in joining the activities of our group in one form or another," the Russian leader said.
Putin added that Russia, as BRICS’ current chairman, treated the planning of joint activities within the group this year with the utmost responsibility. "Our chairmanship has a special mission - to assist in every way in the swift and natural integration of new member states in all BRICS mechanisms," he specified.
