Turkey eyes BRICS partnership, raising West's concerns
Turkey was offered to become a partner country from the BRICS organization, which might affect its relations with NATO.
According to Business Insider, Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat confirmed that Turkey has been offered a partnership with the BRICS group. BRICS, an alliance that includes Brazil, China, India, Russia, and South Africa, is expanding its influence by integrating new countries like Egypt and Iran.
Is Turkey leaning towards Russia?
The "partner" status does not imply full membership. Still, it is a step towards greater integration, allowing participation in the group's activities even if the formal requirements for full membership are not met. Turkey has already initiated formal actions in this regard, and President Erdogan participated in the summit, highlighting that BRICS offers an economic cooperation opportunity, not an alternative to NATO.
Turkey's Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, cited frustration with the stagnation of talks with the EU as a reason for interest in BRICS. "If the integration with the EU culminated in membership, Ankara would not be seeking an alternative like BRICS," Fidan stated.
BRICS is gradually expanding, and countries like Belarus and Indonesia already have partner status. Turkey views BRICS as an opportunity for economic growth, which could impact its relations with the West. However, collaboration with BRICS is not perceived as a substitute for NATO.
Originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, BRICS is broadening its scope to strengthen its position internationally. The group represents about 42 percent of the global population and 24 percent of the world's economic output, although it often contends with internal divisions.
