Cuba and Bolivia may become BRICS partners from January 1, 2025, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said. According to him, both countries have received invitations and expressed their willingness to cooperate, discussions on details are ongoing. Ryabkov stressed that none of the invited countries rejected the proposals, noting the prospects for all participants. In October 2023, a list of 13 potential BRICS partners was published. By November 2024, Russia confirmed the accession of Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia as partners, and Vietnam expressed interest in cooperation. Earlier, on January 1, 2024, BRICS had already expanded its membership: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the UAE joined the bloc. Saudi Arabia has received an invitation, and Brazil is preparing for the presidency of the organization next year.
