Saudi Arabia has kept the decision to join BRICS on hold as the Kingdom has yet to provide an answer about its intention to join the alliance. While the decision to join BRICS is pending, Saudi Arabia signed a weapons manufacturing deal with U.S. Lockheed Martin. While the deal was seen as a setback to BRICS, Ecuador rubbed salt in the wounds after signing a new deal arms deal with the US. BRICS member Russia remains furious that Ecuador is selling Russian-made weapons to the U.S. in the new trade agreement.
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For the uninitiated, Ecuador signed an arms deal with the U.S. to sell Soviet-era weapons in exchange for modern equipment. The U.S. will send Soviet-era weapons to Ukraine to help the country fight its war against BRICS member Russia. The move has made Russia furious citing that its self-made weapons will be used against the country through U.S. interests.
BRICS: A Furious Russia Bans Ecuador Banana Imports After U.S. Weapons Deal
BRICS country Russia is so furious with the U.S. and Ecuador weapons deal, that it has no banned banana imports. Russia announced that is banning importing bananas and flowers from Ecuador as retaliation to the U.S. arms deal. Around 9 out of 10 bananas imported in Russia come from Ecuador.
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Therefore, BRICS member Russia wants to suffocate Ecuador’s economy by banning banana and flower import deals with the country. Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called Ecuador’s decision to sell Soviet-era weapons to the U.S. “reckless”.
Ecuador has made a “reckless decision under serious pressure from external interested parties,” said Zakharova in a press conference.
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The latest changes in global developments are not going as planned for BRICS. The Saudi Arabia U.S. weapons deal and now the U.S. and Ecuador arms agreements are having Russia and BRICS fuming.