Serbia is showing keen interest in joining the BRICS alliance during the 2025 summit in July. The Prime Minister of Serbia Duro Macut announced that his administration is advocating for an expansion to be a part of the bloc. The 17th summit is scheduled to be held on July 6 and 7 in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro.
“We consistently advocate the need to deepen cooperation with our traditional partners and friends. The BRICS countries are the most important players on the world stage, and the development of strong, mutually beneficial relations with them is of a strategic interest to us,” said Serbia’s PM.
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Serbia Wants To Be a Part of BRICS Expansion
BRICS announced a new ‘Partner Countries’ in 2024 adding 13 nations into the fold but Serbia was not a part of it. The countries include Algeria, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.
Apart from these, another batch of 45 countries have expressed their interest to join the alliance. While 23 countries have formally submitted their applications, 22 nations have informally expressed to enter the bloc. Even Serbia has sent an official application to join BRICS since 2023 when the alliance was open for expansion.
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Apart from BRICS, Serbia’s PM also revealed that his administration is eyeing to join the European Union (EU). Serbia “continues its path towards membership in the European Union,” he said to a foreign media outlet. The country had been subjected to sanctions in the past, particularly after the breakup of Yugoslavia.
Whether BRICS plans for expansion in 2025 and allows Serbia into the bloc will be known in July. Moreover, the expansion is consensus-based and all countries have to agree to make the alliance bigger and stronger. Most importantly, the members need to be convinced about what Serbia can bring to the table that uplifts the alliance.