Risking New Rift With Western Allies, Turkey Pursues Membership of BRICS Bloc

Latest Developments

A spokesman for Turkey’s ruling Islamist AKP Party said on September 3 that there had been no “concrete development” in its application to join the BRICS alliance of emerging economies but that “a process is underway” nonetheless. “Our president has stated at various times that we want to be a member (of BRICS) … Our request on this issue is clear. This process is underway in this framework, but there is no concrete development on this,” AKP spokesman Omer Celik said in remarks reported by Reuters.

Celik’s statement came in the wake of a Bloomberg report on September 2 that Ankara had officially requested to join the BRICS bloc — whose initials stand for founder members Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa — in an effort to expand Turkey’s global influence and diversify its alliances beyond the West. While Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Ministry declined to comment, the report cited sources familiar with the matter and claimed that the formal application had been submitted to BRICS several months ago.

During a speech in Istanbul on September 1, Erdogan stated, “Turkey can become a strong, prosperous, prestigious and effective country if it improves its relations with the East and the West simultaneously.” The turn towards BRICS comes amid growing frustration over the lack of progress in Turkey’s decades-long bid to join the European Union as well as its growing rifts with fellow NATO members over Ankara’s close ties with Russia and its support for the Iran-backed Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas.

Expert Analysis

“Slowly but inexorably, Turkey is straying from NATO and the West for other multilateral organizations and new revisionist allies. In the light of Turkey’s support for Hamas, ISIS, Iran, and Russia, a simple question remains: how much longer can NATO tolerate an ally that doesn’t behave like one?” — Jonathan Schanzer, FDD Senior Vice President for Research

“This is the single biggest indicator of Erdogan’s intention to yank Turkey away from its Western anchor. He will not be the one to pull the plug on what remains of Turkey’s formal application to the European Union; he wants the EU to do this so he can accuse them of being ‘Islamophobic.’ By applying to join BRICS, Erdogan is cementing Turkey’s turn towards authoritarian governments. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan still says that Turkey will pursue both the EU and BRICS, demonstrating that Ankara wants to have its cake and eat it too. That is not realistic and once more underscores that Erdogan’s Turkey is an ally only in name.” – Sinan Ciddi, FDD Non-Resident Senior Fellow

BRICS Seen as Alternative to ‘Western-Dominated’ International Institutions

BRICS touts itself as an alternative to perceived Western-dominated institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The bloc expanded to include Iran, the UAE, Ethiopia, and Egypt at the start of the year and has invited Saudi Arabia to join. Turkey’s membership in BRICS as a NATO member would be a huge win for China, which wants to amplify its influence by engaging countries traditionally aligned with the United States, as well as Russia as it continues with its invasion of Ukraine. For its part, Erdogan’s AKP Party has repeatedly accused Western nations of obstructing Turkey’s ability to develop a self-sufficient defense industry and robust economy.

Related Analysis

“Turkey is Committed to Undermining NATO,” by Sinan Ciddi and Sophia Epley

“Enough is Enough: NATO Must Suspend Cooperation with Turkey,” by Ben Cohen

“Turkey’s Threat to Block NATO Cooperation with Israel,” by Sinan Ciddi