"In preparation for the Kazan summit, we are paying particular attention to closer cooperation in the fight against terrorism … The recent tragedy at the Crocus City Hall near Moscow again emphasized the need to step up joint actions of experts and lawmakers to combat this global evil," he said at a meeting of BRICS parliamentary envoys for foreign affairs.
Lavrov hosted members of BRICS foreign affairs committees in Moscow to discuss preparations for the BRICS Summit in the southwestern Russian city of Kazan in October. It will be the leaders’ first meeting after the club of five — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — admitted four new members in January (Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates).
The foreign minister told lawmakers that BRICS had a counterterrorism joint working group that comprised five subgroups. He said that Russia wanted the member states to enhance cybersecurity and anti-drug cooperation during its rotating presidency of BRICS.