The bifurcation of the world into two large, hostile economic blocs continues apace. The current year has seen a flurry of interest in joining the BRICS group.
The latest application for membership now comes from Azerbaijan, a country that is following the pattern of the most recent applicant states, which includes oil, natural gas and metals as its main export products. The BRICS group is gradually securing its dominance on the energy and commodities markets. Europeans, who are weak in energy and resources, should keep an eye on this development as they are now faced with the question of how to deal with this group in the future.
Their dependence on imports is likely to contribute to the geopolitical weakening of the eurozone. The recent customs trade dispute with China already shows where the journey is heading: they know that they are dependent on trade, but do not know how to position themselves, as the shadow of American interests always hovers over European efforts in the background.