Turkey weighs BRICS partnership amid NATO ties deliberation
Turkey has received an offer to become a partner country with the BRICS organisation, which might influence its relations with NATO.
According to the Business Insider portal, Turkey has been offered the status of a partner country by the BRICS group, as confirmed by Turkish Trade Minister Ömer Bolat. BRICS, an alliance comprising Brazil, China, India, Russia, and South Africa, is expanding its influence by including new countries such as Egypt and Iran.
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The "partner" status does not signify full membership but is a step towards closer integration, allowing participation in the group's activities despite not fully meeting the formal requirements. Turkey has already taken formal actions regarding this, and President Erdoğan participated in the summit, emphasising that BRICS is an opportunity for economic cooperation, not an alternative to NATO.
Turkey's Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, has pointed to dissatisfaction with stalled EU negotiations as the reason behind the country's interest in BRICS. He indicated that if full integration with the EU led to membership, Ankara would not look for alternatives such as BRICS.
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, cooperation with BRICS is not seen as a substitute for NATO.
Originally composed of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, BRICS is expanding its reach and aiming to strengthen its position on the international stage. The group represents about 42 per cent of the world's population and 24 per cent of global economic output, although it struggles with internal divisions.
