Turkey applies for BRICS membership to build new alliances ...
Duvar English
Turkey applied for membership in BRICS, confirmed BRICS chair Yuri Ushakov on Sept. 4. Speaking at the 9th Eastern Economic Forum, Ushakov told reporters that Turkey had applied for full membership and that BRICS countries would consider Ankara's request.
On Sept. 2, U.S.-based news agency Bloomberg reported that Turkey had officially applied to join BRICS, aiming to establish alliances beyond the West. The report indicated that BRICS, named after Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, would discuss expansion at its summit in Russia in October.
Bloomberg's report, citing sources familiar with the matter, stated that Turkey sought to increase its global influence and build new connections beyond its traditional Western allies. The anonymous sources said the Erdoğan administration believed that the geopolitical center of gravity was shifting away from developed countries.
As speculation about Turkey's BRICS application persisted, it was announced that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had accepted an invitation to attend the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia. Ushakov confirmed that Erdoğan had accepted Russia’s invitation to attend the summit in Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan.
The European Union (EU) responded to reports of Turkey’s application to join BRICS. During a press conference in Brussels, European Commission spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano addressed the matter, stating that Turkey could decide what was best for itself, form alliances, and cooperate, like any country. Stano added, "As for Turkey-EU relations, Turkey is a candidate country for EU membership. We have the Customs Union and excellent trade relations."
However, Stano also noted that candidate countries must respect the EU’s values and the obligations under agreements. "We expect candidate countries to share the EU’s values and align their foreign policies with ours," Stano said. He further emphasized that countries accepted into the EU must fully align all their policies, including those related to trade agreements, with EU policies.
