BRICS: RESULTS OF 18 YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT

The article provides a retrospective analysis of the activities and reflects the current state of BRICS as one of the significant global informal associations of countries. The main stages of development and the evolution of the expansion of the association are highlighted. The dynamics of decisions made by the association participants are determined, and their role for the development of the world community is defined. The study determines the place of the BRICS countries in the world economy and studies their contribution to global energy. It is revealed that the share of the BRICS countries' GDP in the world economy is increasing, the population is growing and the volume of energy trade is increasing despite the negative trends in the geopolitical situation and pressure on the BRICS countries from the global West. In conclusion, a comparative analysis of the development of the BRICS countries and the G7 countries is carried out, the results of which reveal stable trends in the increasing influence of the BRICS countries on the development of the world economy compared to the G7 countries.