Bloomberg: Turkey has applied to join BRICS

Turkey has officially applied to join the BRICS in an attempt to strengthen its global influence and build new ties outside the West.

Bloomberg writes about this with reference to sources.

According to people familiar with the situation, Turkey took such a step several months ago because it was disappointed by the lack of progress on joining the European Union (Turkey has been negotiating to join the EU since 2005). The reason is also the differences with some NATO members that arose when Turkey continued to maintain close ties with Russia after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The issue of BRICS expansion can be discussed during the summit in Kazan, Russia, on October 22-24. Malaysia, Thailand and Turkeyʼs ally Azerbaijan also want to join the group.

BRICS is the union of the largest developing countries in terms of area and population, formed in 2006. The organization includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates. BRICS positions itself as an alternative to institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, which, as members of the union believe, are dominated by Western countries.

According to the sources, Turkey believes that joining BRICS will help it improve economic cooperation with Russia and China, as well as become a trade channel between the EU and Asia. And at the same time — to be the center of gas export from the Russian Federation and Central Asia.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly called on the United Nations to review the structure of the United Nations Security Council to expand its five permanent members, and was also interested in joining the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which was created by Russia and China in opposition to NATO.