Surging BRICS momentum is supercharged by escalating U.S. tariffs, driving emerging economies to abandon Western dominance and embrace a bold new multilateral power structure, a Russian expert says.

BRICS Rising Fast With African and Asian Giants Turning Away From US Dominance

Ekaterina Arapova, Director of the Center of Sanction Policy Expertise at the Institute for International Studies and Deputy Dean of the Department of International Relations at MGIMO University, said during an April 8 panel at the Valdai Club in Moscow that rising trade tensions under U.S. President Donald Trump could push more countries to consider joining BRICS. MGIMO University, located in Moscow, operates under the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Addressing the strategic implications of current trade policies, Arapova pointed to growing discontent among developing nations as a potential driver of BRICS expansion, particularly in Asia and Africa, where countries may seek alternatives to U.S.-centered economic systems. “In recent days, and all throughout the past month, we have had a front row seat to the new challenges that have emerged from this latest, much bigger wave of trade war the current US administration is unleashing,” she was quoted by Tass as saying. Emphasizing that the present global conditions are reinforcing long-standing BRICS values, she opined:

And I think that what we are seeing now is a context that may seriously facilitate additional, accelerated continuity of the values and approaches that have helped to shape the BRICS spirit as we know it today.

She underlined that one of the group’s key foundations could prove especially influential: “I believe that this principle of inclusivity in the present-day environment will probably motivate third countries and stimulate them to join this multilateral format as full-fledged members in the next couple of years.”

Arapova identified a number of Asian and African nations as likely candidates for BRICS expansion in the near term. “Trump’s tariffs will likely push such countries as Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam toward seeking BRICS membership,” she noted. Drawing attention to developments on the African continent, she stressed: “Moreover, I think that African countries will show considerably more interest as well. We can see this practically in real time from Uganda, as we see these contacts intensifying.” She attributed this momentum to both structural and situational dynamics, stating:

This is facilitated by the favorable, value-driven foundation of the BRICS multilateral format, which has developed over many years, and the global context that is creating new challenges at this point in time.