Russian Foreign Minister: BRICS and its partners could contribute more than 40 percent of global GDP

New Delhi (ANTARA) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the BRICS alliance could contribute more than 40 percent to global gross domestic product (GDP), even more than the G7 bloc.

“Let me remind you that BRICS and its partner countries currently contribute more than 40 percent of global GDP, while the G7 barely reaches 30 percent of global GDP. Therefore, reforms have been long overdue, reforms that our Western colleagues are trying to obstruct in every possible way,” said Lavrov on the sidelines of the BRICS member states’ foreign ministers’ meeting in New Delhi, India, on Friday.

He explained that estimates show that the average growth rate of BRICS countries will be around 3.7 percent, almost approaching 4 percent, compared to 2.6 percent for the global growth rate in the coming period.

The senior Russian diplomat also said that he had briefed his Russian counterparts in the BRICS bloc on the situation in Ukraine. Lavrov emphasized that BRICS has made a fundamental assessment of what is happening.

The final statement on the results of the BRICS meeting will be made by India as the current chair of the group, said Lavrov.

Previously, Lavrov said that countries are not losing interest in joining BRICS, despite pressure from the West.

“I do not see a decrease in interest in BRICS as a result of pressure from Western countries, especially the United States, which openly states that BRICS is almost the main enemy of progress,” said Lavrov.

A number of countries have even applied to join BRICS.

“I do not see a decrease in interest in joining our association, either as members or as partner countries,” said Lavrov.

The BRICS countries also oppose any attempt to politicize the G20 agenda.

Source: Sputnik/RIA Novosti