РУССКИЙ
19:00 24.08.2023 •
The "explosive" growth of the BRICS group is being driven by the understanding among diverse countries that the West is stubbornly clinging to its fading hegemony in global affairs, which it will go to any extreme to preserve, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters on Thursday, noting that 23 nations had applied to become BRICS members.
According to the top Russian diplomat, everybody understands that the US is pursuing the goal to root out and eliminate any form of dissent or non-compliance with Washington’s arbitrary dictates.
"What is the reason behind such an explosive growth of BRICS? I think it is due to those countries that would like to join the group of five that are coming to understand the root causes of those processes currently underway in the international arena, which have laid bare to what extent the West is stubbornly determined to preserve its hegemony at any cost," Russia’s top diplomat said.
According to Lavrov, this hegemonic mindset extends to the entire globe, and "everybody understands that the US is pursuing the goal not just of punishing Russia, using the Ukrainian Nazi regime [as its proxy]," but is in fact seeking "to root out and eliminate any form of dissent or non-compliance" with Washington’s arbitrary dictates.
This trend has been particularly visible in Africa of late, the Russian foreign minister maintained. As an example, he cited the US Countering Malign Russian Activities in Africa Act that the US Congress enacted last year. At that time, many Africans expressed great resentment about the display of "such an insulting attitude toward them," in which the US arrogantly presumes to instruct them as sovereign nations with whom they can and cannot maintain relations, Lavrov said.
"While many [countries] may not find it easy to take the heat of such pressure alone, they (countries applying for membership - TASS) see in BRICS a group of allies and the foundation of that very multipolar world that all of us should now dedicate ourselves to bringing into being," he concluded.
The criteria for discussing the expansion of BRICS include the authority and position of a given applicant country in the global arena, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters.
"Of course, we took into account the criteria and procedures approved for the partner countries. But, first of all, the weight, authority, importance of this or that candidate country for membership and, of course, its position in the international arena were taken into account. Because everyone is in favor of adding like-minded people to our ranks," he said.
Lavrov explained that the like-minded countries include countries that believe in multipolarity, the need for more democratic and fairer international relations, and insist on increasing the role of the Global South in the mechanisms of global governance. "In this regard, the six countries whose names were announced today <...> fully meet these criteria," the top Russian diplomat said.
Six new members, namely, Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, will join BRICS next year.
read more in our Telegram-channel https://t.me/The_International_Affairs
