“Possibly, in this meeting, we can already consensually decide which new countries can join BRICS,” Lula told international journalists in the capital, Brasilia.
Around 20 countries have formally applied to join the bloc, Brazilian Foreign Affairs Minister Mauro Vieira said after Lula’s session with journalists.
The summit in Johannesburg will occur as China and Russia, facing isolation by the U.S. and European Union, seek to expand their economic influence in developing countries.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will join the summit via video call, while all other heads of state are expected to attend in person.
He has rejected the U.S. and EU’s shared position of supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s invasion, refusing to provide arms to Ukranian forces and pushing for peace talks to bring the war to an end.