At the same time, BRICS needs to develop criteria for new candidate countries, the speaker said, adding that these criteria may be adopted at the BRICS summit in the Russian city of Kazan in October.
"But look, 24 countries are now, if I am not mistaken, in line to become BRICS members," Matvienko told the Rossiya 24 channel.
She also did not rule out that the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States may become BRICS members in the future.
BRICS was established as a cooperation platform for the largest emerging economies, uniting Brazil, Russia, India, and China in 2009. South Africa joined the group in 2010. Russia assumed the bloc's rotating presidency on January 1. On the same day, BRICS expanded its membership to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia has not formalized its participation but has been taking part in BRICS meetings.