Malaysia says bid to join China-led Brics group has Russia’s backing

Malaysia’s foreign ministry said Russia will back the Southeast Asian country’s application to join the Brics economic bloc as Moscow looks to expand its influence into the Global South.

Russia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov made the assurance to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim during his two-day visit to Malaysia that ended on Saturday, Malaysia’s foreign ministry said in a statement. Anwar separately said the country had already submitted an application to join the bloc, which Russia chairs.

“This potential membership holds substantial promise for both nations and underscores our commitment to fostering robust international collaboration,” said Anwar in a Facebook post on Sunday. He first disclosed his interest in joining Brics last month, ahead of a visit by China Premier Li Qiang to Malaysia.

A Brics membership offers nations access to financing while also providing a political venue independent of Washington’s influence. Anwar, who has been critical of the US stance in the Israel-Gaza war, said Malaysia and Russia were on the same page in calling for a permanent ceasefire in the Middle East, immediate humanitarian relief, and recognising Palestine as a full member of the United Nations.

Thailand – a US treaty ally – in May announced its own bid to join Brics, named after members Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. For Russia and mainland China, the interest in Brics shows their success at pushing back at attempts by the US and its allies to isolate them more broadly over the war in Ukraine and military threats to Taiwan, the Philippines, South Korea and Japan.

Russia ranked as Malaysia’s eighth-largest trading partner among European countries in 2023. Total bilateral trade increased by 15.6 per cent to