Lukashenko Says Belarus Ready to Join BRICS

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said Thursday that his country is ready to become an “active member” of the BRICS group of countries.
“We fully share the BRICS philosophy. Belarus is coming to you with specific ideas and projects,” Lukashenko said at the bloc’s annual summit in the city of Kazan. “We’re ready to become an active member of the union.”
BRICS takes its name from the first letters of the five original members Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The group expanded earlier this year to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
While Moscow has increasingly sought to cast the group of countries as a counterbalance to Western power and influence in global affairs, not all BRICS members, such as Brazil and India, share Russia’s hard line.
Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov said last month that he expected the BRICS summit in Kazan to approve Minsk’s membership application.
Earlier this week, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said 13 countries have applied to become BRICS partner states. 
Laos also said Thursday that it would seek to join BRICS.
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