Kremlin backtracks on Saudi Arabia’s BRICS membership status

The Kremlin clarified on Tuesday its previous statements regarding Saudi Arabia’s status in the BRICS group, walking back earlier remarks that had described the kingdom as a formal member. The issue of Saudi Arabia’s representation at the upcoming BRICS summit in Russia remains unresolved.

While Saudi Arabia has been invited to join BRICS, it has not yet formally accepted membership. Last week, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov had referred to Saudi Arabia as a BRICS member and announced that its foreign minister would attend the summit in the Russian city of Kazan.

When asked to clarify Saudi Arabia’s status within the group, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, “The summit will take place soon, and we will provide additional information on who will represent Saudi Arabia and whether it will be present at this summit.”

High-level Saudi participation in the October 22-24 summit would be a significant boost for Russia, which has recently urged BRICS members to collaborate in creating new global financial institutions as alternatives to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

BRICS, originally consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, and China, has since expanded to include South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates. Russia views the group’s expansion as part of its strategy to counter U.S. global influence and resist Western sanctions imposed over the war in Ukraine.

“Russia is not isolated. In the modern world, it is very difficult to isolate any country, especially a state like the Russian Federation,” Peskov emphasized.

Saudi Arabia remains a key partner for Russia, particularly through their cooperation in the OPEC+ group of oil-producing countries. President Vladimir Putin has developed a strong personal relationship with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, visiting Riyadh last December and declaring at the time that Russia’s ties with the kingdom had reached an “unprecedented level.”

Credit: Reuters