BRICS foreign ministers for direct Russia-Ukraine talks

New Delhi, May 19

Foreign Ministers of BRICS countries on Thursday discussed the situation in Ukraine and supported talks between Russia and Ukraine. They also expressed concern at the energy and food security implications of the conflict.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar represented India at the meeting.

The Ministers exchanged views on furthering intra-BRICS cooperation on the three pillars of political and security, economic and finance, and people-to-people and cultural exchanges. In this regard, they recalled the adoption in 2021 of the revised Terms of Reference for guiding BRICS engagement.

The Ministers supported the call for advancing the process of reform and greater representation of developing countries in the international organisations and multilateral fora, including UN and its Security Council, so that they could play an important role in global governance.

The meeting was chaired by the Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi under the BRICS rotating Presidency.

The ministers expressed strong condemnation of terrorism whenever, wherever, and by whom-so-ever and also expressed commitment to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including the cross-border movement of terrorists.