Yevgeny Prigozhin’s sudden death has cast a dark shadow over the 15th BRICS Summit, which took place recently. The summit, attended by leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, saw the agreement to invite Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates to join the group.
Currently, the BRICS countries collectively account for one-quarter of the world’s GDP and over one-third of its population. However, despite its economic potential, BRICS has struggled to translate its figures into true influence.
Russia, in particular, has faced challenges within the bloc due to its invasion of Ukraine, leading to a diminished presence and ongoing struggles. The summit’s conclusions have left Russia and BRICS facing further challenges.
The enlargement of BRICS with the addition of these potential members may not necessarily strengthen the bloc. The new members have different foreign policy objectives, which could further limit consensus within BRICS.
Moreover, these potential members do not bring many benefits to Russia, as they are not significant trade or investment partners. However, the wave of BRICS enlargement is seen as a net positive for Russia in the short term, providing new opportunities for bilateral cooperation and enhancing its access to strategic partners.
It is important to note that although most of the countries joining BRICS share a view of multipolarity, they do not necessarily share Russia’s understanding of it. This could potentially create further complexities within the bloc.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has been pushing for stronger ties with BRICS nations, seeing it as a way to enhance Russia’s access to strategic partners and expand its global influence.
Overall, the 15th BRICS Summit highlighted both the potential and challenges that lie ahead for the bloc. The addition of new members brings opportunities for cooperation, but also raises questions about consensus and the alignment of foreign policy objectives.
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