Thirty-four countries have expressed interest in joining BRICS. Further expansion of the organisation would be a victory for Russia and China, which are challenging the current US-dominated world order, according to the US TV channel CNN.
CNN recalls that South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor said that thirty-four countries want to join BRICS, without specifying which countries they are talking about.
“Russia has accepted applications from new potential participants. This year it took over the chairmanship of the group, which significantly expanded its global influence when Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Ethiopia and Egypt joined,” the TV channel wrote.
BRICS has positioned itself as the Global South’s answer to the G7. Therefore, the organisation’s expansion is seen as a victory for Beijing and Moscow, which “seek to change the international system, which they believe is unfairly dominated by Washington”, CNN notes.
“The group’s enlargement and continued interest from dozens of other countries is also a boost for Russia, which the West is diplomatically and economically seeking to distance itself from. Moscow’s position as BRICS chairman will allow Putin to fight back against this isolation and present himself as a key player in the broad diplomatic arena,” the channel summarises.
Earlier, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that the United States was responsible for the disintegration of international stability and security.