EGN NEWS DESK
Russian President Vladimir Putin beforehand sought to model BRICS as an alliance of “the worldwide majority” as a part of Moscow’s efforts to problem a dominant West and evade sanctions associated to Russia’s struggle on Ukraine. The group has additionally been on the forefront of a push to interchange the greenback as the important thing forex of worldwide commerce.
Membership of BRICS is invitation-only, however a number of nations got the prospect to affix at first of this yr.
The Azerbaijan announcement comes after Putin landed within the capital, Baku, on Sunday for bilateral talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. On Monday Aliyev hailed the truth that “our financial and commerce relations are progressing efficiently” regardless of world challenges.
The pair get pleasure from a rosy relationship. They signed a “declaration on allied interplay” in February 2022, simply days earlier than Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
At the identical time, nonetheless, Azerbaijan has turn out to be an more and more important power companion for Europe, having signed a deal in mid-2022 with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to assist the continent wean itself off Russian oil and fuel. The fossil fuel-rich state has since turn out to be a serious buying and selling companion for the EU, regardless of calls in Brussels for it to face sanctions over human rights abuses.
Azerbaijan will host this yr’s COP29 U.N. local weather talks, with diplomats, consultants and environmental activists heading to Baku for the high-profile assembly.
