MOSCOW, November 16. /TASS/. Russia welcomes Venezuela’s intension to become a member of BRICS, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.

"Speaking about multipolarity, we surely welcome Venezuela’s interest in joining BRICS," he told a joint press conference following the talks with his Venezuelan counterpart Yvan Gil Pinto.

Russia will chair BRICS starting January 1, 2024, Lavrov noted. "We will support our friends’ wish to cooperate and actively interact with this integration," he stressed.