Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov indicated in an interview that Minsk expects to secure BRICS partner status at the organization’s summit in Kazan in October. He explained that a recent meeting with China’s new ambassador was focused on harmonizing expectations about what the BRICS partner designation would mean and what advantages might be associated with it. The remarks signal Minsk’s intent to pursue a clearly defined role within BRICS, with discussions aimed at aligning Belarus’ perspective with the evolving framework of the bloc ahead of the Kazan gathering.
Ryzhenkov emphasized that to move the status forward, Minsk must engage more actively with BRICS member states. He outlined that meaningful outreach would involve sustained diplomacy, regular high level exchanges, and concrete demonstrations of Belarusian readiness to contribute to BRICS initiatives. In his view, future discussions should clarify the nature of the partner relationship, outline potential areas of collaboration, and establish benchmarks that would allow Minsk to demonstrate its value within the group while ensuring mutual benefit for all BRICS members.
At the Kazan summit, Ryzhenkov underscored the need for stronger engagement with BRICS partners and suggested that Belarus would pursue intensified parliamentary and diplomatic channels to support its bid. The emphasis on proactive outreach reflects a broader strategy in Minsk to weave Belarus more closely into BRICS decision making, including participation in joint projects, information sharing, and coordinated responses to regional and global challenges that fall within the bloc’s purview.
The Speaker of the Council of the Republic, Natalya Kochanova, announced that Minsk has proposed holding a parliamentary summit in the BRICS Plus format to address international security issues. Her proposal highlights a belief that parliamentary dialogue can play a pivotal role in shaping security norms, evaluating conflicts, and developing shared approaches to risk reduction. The plan envisions high level parliamentary exchanges that would complement executive-level diplomacy and broaden Belarus’ contribution to collective security discussions within BRICS Plus.
According to Kochanova, strengthening the role and authority of BRICS could be supported by the establishment of an observer mission within the organization. Such a mission would provide ongoing, independent assessments of BRICS activities and the bloc’s governance processes, aiming to increase transparency and accountability across member states. The proposal envisions observers contributing to confidence-building measures, monitoring collective decisions, and offering objective input on governance reforms that could enhance BRICS’ legitimacy on the world stage.
Under Kochanova’s plan, observers would have the authority to assess elections without tailoring reports to the political positions of Western elites. This notion reflects a push for more neutral, fact-based evaluation of electoral processes within BRICS-related activities, potentially informing debates on governance and electoral integrity without external political bias. The idea envisions observers contributing to a broader framework of credible oversight that could reassure BRICS partners and observers alike about the bloc’s commitment to fair procedures and non-interference in member state affairs.
Earlier in the year, rising interest in BRICS within the United States drew attention from policymakers and observers. Analysts note that increased attention from Washington could signal a reassessment of strategic priorities as Washington weighs how to engage a bloc that continues to expand and diversify its partnerships. The growing focus on BRICS is seen by many observers as a prompt for a more nuanced U.S. stance toward the bloc, encouraging Washington to consider how BRICS dynamics interact with Western-led institutions and global security architectures while also assessing opportunities for cooperation in areas such as trade, development, and regional stability.