34 Countries Joining BRICS according to Russian President: The End of G7?

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that 34 countries have expressed interest in joining BRICS, either formally or through various levels of engagement. During a meeting with senior BRICS officials focused on security matters, Putin emphasized Russia’s commitment to the bloc’s expansion as it assumes the 2024 chairmanship. “More than three dozen countries, precisely 34, have shown interest in participating in BRICS activities in some capacity,“ Putin stated, underscoring Russia’s priority to facilitate swift integration of new members. As chair of BRICS for 2024, Russia has approached the role with a sense of urgency and responsibility, according to Putin. “Our chairmanship carries a special mandate: to ensure the seamless and accelerated integration of new member states into all BRICS mechanisms,“ he added. Putin highlighted the group’s accomplishments in addressing global security challenges, including efforts to combat cybercrime and terrorism