BRICS Bloc May Expand as 19 Nations Request Membership, Official Reveals

Russian President Vladimir Putin takes part in the XIV BRICS summit in virtual format via a video call, in Moscow, on June 23, 2022. Mikhail Metzel/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images

With only weeks until South Africa hosts the annual two-day summit of BRICS nations in June, one official revealed that many countries have shown an interest in joining the bloc of emerging-market states.

BRICS comprises five countries—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—with prominent emerging market economies.