MOSCOW, November 28. /TASS/. The West has approached BRICS through a lens of confrontation, so no Western country is likely to ever join the grouping, said Russian Ambassador-at-large and Russia’s coordinator in BRICS, Pavel Knyazev.
"Let’s make this clear: no Western country will ever join BRICS for a very simple reason. The so-called golden billion, or the privileged minority of developed economies, has consistently opposed multipolarity, seeking to retain the convenience and comfort of the unipolar world order as well as historical dominance," the senior Russian diplomat said at an expert discussion titled "BRICS Today: Plateau or New Rise?"
Referencing an article in Foreign Affairs, a US magazine, Knyazev noted that the West views BRICS solely through the prism of confrontation. "They are accustomed to thinking within the framework of their own paradigm, following the rationale of `whoever is not with us is against us’," he maintained. According to Knyazev, this stance is ingrained in the mindset of politicians and circles who shape policy in the collective West. "Hence their suspicions and efforts to find ways to weaken BRICS," he argued.
BRICS is a geopolitical grouping that is not directed against any nation, Knyazev explained. "Our open and broad agenda is based on constructive dialogue and cooperation rather than confrontation. This naturally alarms our opponents," the diplomat concluded.