MOSCOW, Russia: BRICS expansion was partly driven by Western pressure on Russia, Foreign Intelligence Service Director Sergey Naryshkin said Thursday at a roundtable in Moscow.
Naryshkin said the grouping’s appeal had increased as more countries sought what he described as alternative, non-Western platforms for international cooperation.
He argued that Western actions against Russia had strengthened BRICS’ “unifying potential.” That assessment reflected Moscow’s interpretation of the geopolitical confrontation.
Naryshkin, who also chairs the Russian Historical Society, spoke at an event focused on Eurasian cooperation and a multipolar world order.
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The gathering marked the 25th anniversary of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the 20th anniversary of BRICS.
Naryshkin said participation in BRICS had become associated with countries seeking greater freedom to pursue their national interests outside Western-led structures.
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He also said the grouping had expanded substantially from its original membership. Naryshkin cited the figure of 11 BRICS countries while separately describing Saudi Arabia as an invited country.
