MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday thanked South African President Cyril Ramaphosa for handling the summit of the BRICS group of nations and for his efforts to expand the bloc.

BRICS has decided to invite six countries - Argentina, Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates - to become new members of the group, which currently comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

BRICS invites six countries including Saudi Arabia, Iran to be new members

Putin was speaking via video link at the closing news conference of the three-day summit held in Johannesburg.