MOSCOW, January 20. /TASS/. BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) need to boost cooperation, while the group’s expansion is a matter for the future, said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, who serves and the country’s BRICS Sherpa.

"As for expansion plans, I think that we need to continue pursuing the current path, first and foremost, seeking to boost practical cooperation, increase gains from it and specifying activities in many areas, so that our countries and our people can feel… that BRICS’ existence is important in terms of creating new positive elements in the economic, social and scientific development of our countries, as well as for other areas of development," he pointed out.

"This is why it is possible to talk about the expansion of BRICS as a goal for the future," the senior Russian diplomat emphasized.

According to Ryabkov, Russia is currently focused on activities on the BRICS+ platform, which "makes it possible for interested countries to find ways to cooperate with the group’s members.".