Russian President Vladimir Putin said in recorded remarks to a summit of the BRICS countries in South Africa on Tuesday that the grouping was on course to meet the aspirations of most of the world's population.
"We cooperate on the principles of equality, partnership support, respect for each other’s interests, and this is the essence of the future-oriented strategic course of our association, a course that meets the aspirations of the main part of the world community, the so-called global majority," Putin said.
The BRICS members - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - represent more than 40% of the world's population and the summit is expected to discuss adding new members, but Putin did not address that question in his remarks.