Turkey has reportedly formally requested to join the BRICS economic bloc to expand its global influence and establish new alliances beyond its traditional Western partners. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s administration views the shifting geopolitical landscape as an opportunity to strengthen ties with both Eastern and Western nations while remaining committed to NATO. Erdogan emphasized the importance of balanced international relations.
Turkey Seeks to Join BRICS to Strengthen Global Influence
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Turkey Seeks to Join BRICS to Expand Global Influence and Build New Alliances, Report
Turkey has formally asked to join BRICS, the bloc of major emerging-market nations, as it seeks to enhance its global influence and build new alliances beyond its traditional Western partners, Tass reported this week, citing people familiar with the matter.
In a speech in Istanbul over the weekend, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan emphasized the importance of balanced international relations. “Turkey can become a strong, prosperous, prestigious and effective country if it improves its relations with the East and the West simultaneously. Any method other than this will not benefit Turkey, but will harm it,” he stated, emphasizing:
We do not have to choose between the European Union and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as some people claim. On the contrary, we have to develop our relations with both these and other organizations on a win-win basis.
President Erdogan’s administration views the shifting geopolitical landscape as an opportunity to strengthen relations with both Eastern and Western countries while maintaining its commitments to NATO. This move comes amid ongoing frustration over the lack of progress in Turkey’s decades-long attempt to join the European Union. Sinan Ülgen, head of the Istanbul-based think tank EDAM, opined: “This is not the strategy, by Ankara, to replace the West, but it’s a strategy to strengthen relations with non-Western powers at a time when the U.S. hegemony is waning.”
BRICS, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, recently added Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, and Egypt to its membership. The group’s potential further enlargement, with Turkey as a contender, is expected to be discussed at a summit in Kazan, Russia, in October.
What do you think about Turkey’s decision to seek membership in BRICS while maintaining its Western alliances? Let us know in the comments section below.
