Russia announced its support for a new country to join the BRICS alliance. The 5-member bloc expanded in 2023 and is now a 10-member group with Indonesia being the latest country to join in January 2025. China and Russia are keen on expansion, allowing like-minded nations to enter the alliance. However, India, Brazil, and South Africa are cautious and are not eager to make the alliance bigger.
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Russia Supports Zimbabwe To Join the BRICS Alliance
Zimbabwe has received the backing from Russia to join the BRICS alliance. Russia also announced that it has invited Zimbabwe to attend the 2026 summit in India.
Nikolay Krasilnikov, Russia’s Ambassador to Harare, said that they strongly support Zimbabwe’s BRICS ascension. Krasilnikov explained that Zimbabwe has the option to choose its levels of involvement in the alliance. That includes joining the bloc, or being a partner country, or an observer, or joining the New Development Bank (NDB).
“Russia strongly supports Zimbabwe’s keen interest in engaging with BRICS. There are several levels of involvement, and it’s up to Zimbabwe to choose its path – whether as an observer, an invited participant at the next summit in India, or by focusing on joining the New Development Bank,” said the diplomat.
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The diplomat also stressed that Russia values Zimbabwe’s values of “a friend to all and an enemy to none,” and the ideology matches the BRICS agenda. “We value Zimbabwe as a responsible member of the international community – and we need Zimbabwe in the Security Council as a trusted and constructive voice,” the diplomat concluded.
However, BRICS expansion is consensus-based, and every member has to agree on Zimbabwe, not just Russia. While Russia supports Zimbabwe’s ascension, the development is still in its infancy. Whether the alliance will allow the new country to join will be decided at the next summit in India.
