MOSCOW, March 5. /TASS/. BRICS is a self-sustaining structure, which has never set itself in opposition either to the Group of Seven or the Group of Twenty, Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov said in an interview with TASS.
"Russia has never set BRICS in opposition to other international platforms, be it the Group of 20 or the Group of Seven. However, we believe that the association is unique. BRICS is a self-sustaining mechanism, which, as it has been repeatedly pointed out, plays one of the leading roles in shaping the global agenda," Ushakov, who heads the Steering Committee for Preparing and Ensuring Russia's BRICS Presidency in 2024, said.
He noted that over the years of joint work, "the group’s members have developed a special culture of dialogue between the counties that represent different civilizations, religions and regions." "The group’s members enjoy open and trusted relations based on the principle of sovereign equality, respect for each other’s choice of a development path and a guarantee that everyone's interests are taken into account. This is what always helps find common ground and solutions to the most difficult issues," he said.
The Kremlin aide stressed that in all of their documents and practices, the BRIICS nations have always demonstrated their openness to fair and equal dialogue. "Together, we call for building horizontal network ties between various regional and sub-regional integration processes in Eurasian, African and Latin American countries. It is particularly about platforms such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). By the way, the EAEU maintains robust cooperation with its Chinese partners, particularly in implementing Beijing’s Belt and Road project. I would like to emphasize that all these processes are expected to accelerate and become more eventful," he added.