"The BRICS Summit begins today. <...> I think it will be a historic step for them if they decide to expand BRICS. I'm not sure if they will be able to make that decision today, but if they do, it will certainly be a historic decision and an important decision. They are becoming, after many decades, a global player that is trying to create an alternative to the collective West," Vucic told reporters during his visit to Athens, according to TASS.
"Thus, the geopolitical game is becoming more and more interesting," the Serbian leader concluded.
The BRICS summit is being held in Johannesburg on August 22-24. South Africa is presiding over the BRICS group this year. The country’s BRICS Sherpa Anil Suklal said earlier that about 30 countries are now interested in joining BRICS.
The Indian newspaper Business Standard quoted its sources as saying that five countries could be admitted to BRICS at the summit in Johannesburg on August 22-24: Argentina, Egypt, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi is also scheduled to visit Johannesburg on Wednesday to attend the 2023 BRICS summit.
Iran is among more than a dozen countries that seek membership in the bloc and has submitted a formal application to join the body. The Islamic Republic has described its objectives as in alignment with those of the BRICS countries.
MP/PR
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