Turkiye seeks to join the BRICS bloc of emerging economies: Kremlin official

Moscow: NATO member Turkiye has applied for membership in the BRICS bloc of developing economies, a senior Kremlin official said Wednesday, as Russia and China seek to counter the West’s global influence.

Yuri Ushakov, President Vladimir Putin’s foreign affairs aide, told reporters that Turkiye has submitted an application “for full membership” in the bloc that Russia this year chairs, and it will be considered.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stated several times that his country aspires to become a member of the BRICS alliance, according to Omer Celik, a spokesman for Erdogan’s ruling party. But Celik stopped short this week of confirming that Turkiye has applied formally.

The BRICS alliance was founded in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India and China, with South Africa joining in 2010. It recently has undergone an expansion, and now includes Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia has said it’s considering joining, and Azerbaijan and Malaysia have formally applied.

BRICS has a stated aim to amplify the voice of major emerging economies to counterbalance the Western-led global order.

Its founding members have called for a fairer world order and the reform of international institutions like the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.