Steven Gruzd, head of the Russia-Africa research program at the South African Institute of International Affairs, said the BRICS group has “found a new lease on life” as a result of the Ukraine conflict. The war in Ukraine has revitalised Moscow’s campaign for new organizations to compete with Western-dominated blocs such as the Group of Seven. There is growing talk that BRICS could expand within the next year to include possible new entrants such as Nigeria, Egypt, Venezuela, Iran, Argentina or Saudi Arabia.
