ST. PETERSBURG, June 20. /TASS/. Nations of the BRICS group have done more than $1 trillion in trade with each other, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).
"Mutual trade turnover between our countries has already exceeded $1 trillion and continues to grow," he pointed out.
The Russian leader noted that the BRICS summit in the Russian city of Kazan last fall brought together 35 countries representing almost two-thirds of the world’s population and half of the global economy. He believes they share a common vision of where the world is headed.
"Today, BRICS nations are already setting the bar for the development of the so-called human-centered industries, and launching major projects aimed at improving living conditions. BRICS countries implement large-scale initiatives related to nuclear energy, aviation, new materials, the IT-industry, robotics and artificial intelligence. And we certainly pay special attention to strengthening ties within BRICS," Putin said.
All these elements underlie BRICS’ core beliefs about global growth, the Russian president stressed. "Those include consensus, parity, and respect for each other’s interests. And, most importantly, openness to all those who wish to join this work. Because the more countries that are engaged in efforts to create such a platform, the more it will benefit those who understand their responsibility to the future and the future generations of our countries," Putin concluded.