Azerbaijan Seeks Membership in BRICS Following Putin's Visit to Baku

Azerbaijan has formally announced its intention to join the BRICS group, following a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Baku. The South Caucasus nation aims to become a member of the BRICS bloc, which originally began in 2009 with Russia, China, India, and Brazil and has since expanded to include Iran, Egypt, South Africa, Ethiopia, and the UAE.

Aykhan Hajizade, a spokesperson for Azerbaijan's foreign ministry, confirmed the country's bid to join the BRICS group. The announcement follows Putin's visit to Azerbaijan, where he and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev held talks and praised their successful economic and trade relations. The two leaders had previously signed a declaration on allied interaction shortly before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

While the BRICS group is invitation-only, several nations were offered the opportunity to join at the start of this year. Azerbaijan's application comes amid its growing importance as an energy partner for Europe, having signed an agreement with the EU to reduce reliance on Russian oil and gas. The country is also set to host the COP29 U.N. climate talks later this year.

The BRICS partnership aims to challenge Western dominance and reduce reliance on the dollar in international trade. The group is known for its varied membership, with both autocratic and democratic nations included. However, there are no formal criteria for joining, and the process remains informal, as evidenced by Azerbaijan's bid.

Azerbaijan had previously shown interest in joining BRICS. During the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in July, Azerbaijan and China declared a strategic partnership, with Azerbaijan expressing a desire to join BRICS and China supporting this ambition. Additionally, at...