BRICS represents free and non-bloc country relations – Putin
The group is a model of a new type of multinational relations, according to the Russian president
The BRICS group of emerging countries represents a model of a new type of intergovernmental relations, according to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Russian leader made the remarks on Thursday while addressing a plenary session of the XXI Valdai Forum.
“The prototype of a new, free and non-bloc nature of relations between states and peoples is the community that is currently being formed within the framework of BRICS,” Putin stated.
He pointed to the fact that even among NATO members, there are those interested in working closely with the group. “I do not rule out that in the future other states will also think about joint, closer work with BRICS,” the Russian president said.
Putin also talked about the group’s recent summit in Kazan, which was hosted by Russia as the current chair of BRICS.
“I will not hide the fact that developing a coordinated approach by many countries whose interests do not always coincide in everything is not an easy task,” the Russian president admitted.
“Diplomats and other government officials had to make every effort, in fact, to demonstrate the ability to hear and listen to each other in order to achieve the desired result. A lot of effort was spent on this,” Putin said.
Last month, the Russian city of Kazan hosted the 16th BRICS annual summit. It was the first to be held since the group’s expansion earlier this year, when Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates officially became members, joining Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Delegations from 35 countries in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Latin America, as well as representatives from the UN and other organizations, attended the event.
More than 30 nations, including NATO member Türkiye, have applied to join BRICS, according to Russian officials. A new ‘partner country’ status has been also approved as a result of the Kazan summit.