Belarus Moves to Join BRICS as Accessions Conversation Opens
The head of Belarus’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sergei Aleinik, stated that Minsk’s application to join BRICS is currently under initial consideration. This update was reported by DEA News. Aleinik emphasized that Belarus formally submitted its bid in May and that their outreach to BRICS members and partner states has produced clear assurances that the application is a priority and will be weighed during deliberations.
Aleinik added that Minsk expects robust cooperation within the BRICS framework. He has previously expressed optimism that Belarus’s bid will receive a favorable outcome and noted that the republic has valuable contributions to offer the association. From his perspective, BRICS’s regional and global appeal is demonstrated by the growing number of applications and Belarus’s solid bilateral relationships with all BRICS members.
Earlier, a spokesperson for Belarus’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Anatoly Glaz, confirmed that for the first time a Belarusian delegation would attend BRICS summit events alongside the core member states of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
The BRICS summit is scheduled to take place from August 22 to 24 in Johannesburg. Russian President Vladimir Putin was invited to attend, despite an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court. The hosting city of Pretoria explored options to prevent a potential diplomatic strain, including proposals to move the summit to China or to have Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stand in for Putin. In remarks surrounding the situation, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa suggested that the arrest could signal heightened tension rather than peace, describing the moment as one with serious implications.
In related remarks, Lukashenka had previously offered praise for Putin and described him in unusually favorable terms for a contemporary leader, highlighting a personal affinity in their public exchanges.