Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has reportedly received an invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the upcoming BRICS summit.
The BRICS conference is scheduled to take place on October 22 to 24 in Kazan, Russia.
This marks an important step for Malaysia towards joining the BRICS, an influential group of rapidly developing economies that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
The invitation was extended during a bilateral meeting at the 9th Eastern Economic Forum held in Vladivostok, Russia.
Anwar noted that Malaysia's participation emphasized its growing geoeconomic influence and its strategic relationship with Russia.
He also emphasized the potential for cooperation between the two countries in areas such as Islamic finance, agriculture, and education.
Malaysia has submitted an application to join BRICS in July 2023, and acceptance into the group will further diversify its global partnerships.
BRICS, which began in 2009, has grown to include several new members, accounting for about a quarter of the global economy and representing 40% of the world's population.
In the meeting, Anwar also discussed the need for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing war in Ukraine and called for international efforts to end the violence in Gaza.
