Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that the establishment of BRICS has never targeted any other parties during a meeting with representatives of mainstream media outlets from BRICS countries, including those from China Media Group (CMG), in Moscow.

The press meeting comes just days before the 2024 BRICS Summit, scheduled to take place from October 22 to 24 in Kazan, Russia.

In his remarks, Putin highlighted the influence of the BRICS cooperation mechanism, noting that the group has expanded to 10 member countries, with 30 more nations expressing interest in collaborating with BRICS or seeking various forms of participation.

He underscored that the formation of BRICS has never been aimed at other countries, but rather is based on shared values, development perspectives and the principle of mutual benefit.

Putin said the United States attempts to curb China's development through various means, which is like keeping the sun from rising.

Putin also addressed questions from journalists regarding the Ukraine crisis, bilateral and multilateral relations, and the financial system.

(Cover: Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with the representatives of mainstream media outlets from the BRICS member countries, Moscow, Russia, October 18, 2024. /CFP)