Kremlin-BRICS Expansion High On Agenda Of Summit

Wires carrying comments from the Kremlin stating that the 'topic of expanding the BRICS group is high on the agenda of the upcoming summit'. The potential expansion of the BRICS group has gained increased attention of late and appears to have caused some divisions within the group. On 27 July, Bloomberg reportedon a pushback from Brazil and India toward China's bid to expand the group. The story claimed that "The countries have raised objections in preparatory talks for a summit in Johannesburg next month where Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa will discuss potentially expanding the group to include Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. China has repeatedly lobbied for expansion during those meetings, said the officials...."

• Russia is likely to be keen to expand the bloc as well, as it could create a more significant cohort of nations seen as being sympathetic towards Moscow as it remains cut off from the West by sanctions following its invasion of Ukraine.
• For the West, an expanded BRICS would come as a concern, with a more sizeable grouping of non-Western aligned nations seen as a counter to the EU, NATO, G7 etc.
• The BRICS summit takes place 22-24 August in South Africa. Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend virtually as his in-person presence would have risked a major diplomatic incident, with South African authorities obliged to detain Putin as a result of the ICC arrest warrant issued against him.