Saudi Still Considering BRICS Membership-RTRS

Saudi Commerce Minister Majid Al-Kasabi delivered comments at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos on 16 Jan, stating that "Saudi Arabia has been invited to attend BRICs, we have not yet officially joined BRICs,". Following this, Reuters reports that according to two unnamed sources the Saudi gov't is still considering whether to take up the offer.

• Al-Kasabi's comments led to a swift reply from the Russian gov't, with Kremlin spox Dmitri Peskov saying that work was ongoing to integrate Saudi Arabia into the bloc.
• Reuters: "The two sources said Jan. 1 was not a deadline for a decision, with one adding there were strong benefits to joining the bloc as members China and India are the kingdom's biggest trading partners. "Saudi Arabia is assessing the benefits and then will make a decision, there is a process happening," one of the sources said."
• Of all the prospective new BRICS members (Saudi, Iran, UAE, Ethiopia, Egypt), it is Saudi Arabia that has the closest political ties to the United States. Despite having shown in recent months that it is willing to forge relations with US competitors in some areas, the heightened tensions in the Middle East at present could act as a deterrent to Riyadh to siding so clearly with a bloc in which China holds significant influence.
• Saudi's non-committal stance will come as a further blow to the BRICS following Argentinian President Javier Milei's rapid and vocal rejection of membership on his taking office.