Overview
Turkey’s recent bid to join the BRICS group (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) is a continuation of its multipolar foreign policy strategy as discussed in prior reports. This move reflects Turkey’s desire to enhance its global influence and diversify its international alliances beyond its traditional Western partners, particularly as frustrations grow over the stagnation of its EU membership bid and as global power dynamics shift. Turkey's application to BRICS poses potential challenges and benefits, particularly concerning its long-standing relationship with NATO and its position in the broader geopolitical landscape.
Background and Motivations
According to reports and purportedly leaked documents, Turkey officially applied to join BRICS, citing the need to forge alliances that extend beyond its traditional Western affiliations. This decision comes amidst dissatisfaction with the slow progress of Turkey’s application to join the European Union, which has been ongoing since 2005, and a perception that global power is increasingly concentrated among emerging economies rather than established Western powers (Nour News, 2024; Yahoo Finance, 2024).
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s administration views BRICS as a platform to enhance Turkey’s influence in a multipolar world while maintaining its commitments as a NATO member. The application was submitted several months ago, highlighting Turkey's strategic pivot towards balancing relations with both Eastern and Western nations (Turkish Minute, 2024; i24 News, 2024).
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