Turkey wants to join BRICS

Turkey says frustration with the West led to the decision to join BRICS

Turkey has formally applied to join the BRICS group of emerging markets, according to people familiar with the matter, as it seeks to increase its global influence and forge new links beyond the traditional circle of Western allies. Bloomberg writes.

The publication's interlocutors, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to comment officially on the process, said the administration of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan believes that the geopolitical center of gravity is moving away from the developed economies. The country's new diplomatic moves, they say, reflect its desire to develop ties with all countries in the multipolar world while continuing to fulfill its obligations as a key NATO member^[1].

Bloomberg sources added that Turkey applied to join the BRICS a few months ago amid frustration at the lack of progress in its decade-long attempts to join the European Union. The request was also partly the result of Ankara's disagreements with other NATO members over Turkey's close ties with Russia after the latter launched its military operation in Ukraine in 2022 (a conflict that is still not being called a war by either side).

No further comment on the decision

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Turkish presidential administration declined to comment^[2].

"Turkey can become a strong, prosperous, prestigious, and efficient country if it improves its relations with the East and the West. Any other approach will not benefit Turkey, but only harm it", Erdogan said in Istanbul at the weekend.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said in June during a visit to China that Turkey joining the BRICS was a "good alternative".

"Let's see how this year goes", the diplomat announced.

The BRICS enlargement will be discussed at the summit on 22-24 September. The BRICS will meet in Kazan, Russia, on 24 September. The grouping, which originally consisted of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, added four new members - Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Ethiopia - in early 2024.

Saudi Arabia has also received an invitation to join BRICS. Malaysia has applied for membership, and Azerbaijan has taken a similar step.

Experts attribute the country's willingness to join BRICS to the pursuit of economic benefits

Turkey's accession to BRICS will not change the country's policy, but it will benefit Ankara in other areas, especially economic ones. Political analyst and journalist Yuri Svetov expressed this opinion in an interview with NEWS.ru.

He noted that the Turkish authorities know how to negotiate well and seek benefits from organizations and political alliances^[3].

"Turkey's policy will not change over time, because applying to join the BRICS is a continuation of a typical but rare policy: to take whatever is profitable. Therefore, Turkey is a NATO member that benefits from it, and if it joins BRICS, it will also receive some benefits. They are negotiating very well and to a very high standard", Svetov stressed.

In his view, the Turkish leadership is primarily concerned with developing its own country and is therefore making new agreements without considering the views of other partner countries: Washington is unhappy with Ankara's willingness to join the BRICS. However, Turkey is not following the example of the NATO bloc and is not sacrificing its economy, which is different from, say, Germany.

However, political analysts predict that joining BRICS will be long.

"There are many countries in the queue to join the organization, and they need the consent of other countries to be accepted. Therefore, I think that for the time being, Turkey will benefit from the fact that it has applied and will prepare itself for accession", the journalist added.

Political analyst Ilya Graschenkov believes that the BRICS are an alternative for Turkey to join the European Union, which is in no hurry to accept it. According to the expert, Turkey's application to the organisation should be perceived as a signal to the EU^[4].

"Turkey is not working with the European Union. Sakartvel, which had already received a promise of membership, has been removed from the list of contenders, and the question of Bosnia and Herzegovina has been postponed to 2029. It is clear that development in this direction is not expected now. So why not join the BRICS, especially as China is now trying to position itself as the main operator of the group", he told Info24.

According to the political analyst, Ankara and Beijing can expand their influence in the Middle East by joining the same organization.

I. Graschenkov also noted that Turkey's main ambition in BRICS is economic benefits, not political principles.

"Turkey remains a NATO country and perceives BRICS only, in my opinion, as an economically beneficial alliance for the expanding markets - not primarily to source supplies from them, but to export something. Therefore, I believe it is an optional but economically beneficial alliance for Turkey, just like for Azerbaijan", Graschenkov concluded.