"Now that we are joined by such major players in the energy market as Saudi Arabia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, of course, the topic of energy will shine in a new light and will be in great demand," Sergey Lavrov said following the 15th BRICS summit in Johannesburg.
Referring to the expansion of the BRICS group, the top Russian diplomat stressed, "Everyone says that the name should remain unchanged, it has already become a brand. None of the newcomers to BRICS suggested otherwise. It seems to me that everyone understands that it is better to leave everything as it is, this will emphasize the continuity of all our work."
The energy sphere will be one of the key areas of cooperation in BRICS after new members will join the group, Lavrov added, according to Sputnik.
Earlier in the day, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the BRICS leaders have decided to invite Argentina, Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, the UAE and Saudi Arabia to join the group. The membership will take effect from January 1, 2024.
MP/PR