Turkey applied to join BRICS several months ago due to a lack of progress in its bid to join the EU.
Turkey formally asked to join the BRICS group of developing countries as it seeks to bolster its global influence and forge new ties beyond traditional Western ones, according to sources allies.
This is according to a Bloomberg article citing anonymous sources.
The view of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's administration is that the geopolitical center of gravity is shifting away from developed economies. The country's new diplomatic push reflects its desire to develop ties with all sides in a multipolar world, while fulfilling its obligations as a key NATO member.
Turkey, located between Europe and Asia, applied to join BRICS several months ago out of frustration with the lack of progress in its years-long bid to join the European Union, the sources said. The bid is also partly the result of disagreements with other NATO members after Turkey maintained close ties with Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The publication noted that the Turkish Foreign Ministry and presidential administration declined to comment.
The expansion of the BRICS group could be discussed at a summit in Russia's Kazan on October 22-24, sources said. Other countries interested in joining the bloc include Malaysia, Thailand and Azerbaijan.
BRICS is marketing itself as an alternative to the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. New members could gain access to funding through its development bank, as well as expand their political and trade ties.
Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party has long accused Western countries of hampering Turkey's ambitions to build a self-sufficient defense industry and a strong economy. The president has repeatedly called for revamping the UN Security Council to expand its five permanent members and has expressed interest in joining the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, created by Russia and China as a rival to NATO.
“We don't have to choose between the European Union and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, as some people claim. On the contrary, we should develop our relations with both these and other organizations based on mutually beneficial results,” Erdogan has said.
Turkey believes that joining BRICS could help it improve economic cooperation with Russia and China and become a trade channel between the EU and Asia. Turkey wants to be a hub for gas exports from Russia and Central Asia, the sources said.
Erdogan's administration is trying to attract investment from Chinese electric vehicle makers, who could take advantage of Turkey's customs union with the EU to expand their market access.
“BRICS is an organization that increases the diversity of approaches, identities and policies in the global economic system,” Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said in June after attending a meeting of BRICS foreign ministers.
“Turkey is making parallel efforts to restart EU membership talks. This remains a “strategic goal,” Fidan said last week after taking part in informal talks with his counterparts from EU.
Recall that in August it became known that Azerbaijan submitted an official application to join BRICS.
Read also:
Related topics:
More news
