Turkey Formally Requests To Join BRICS, Citing Frustration In EU Bid

Turkey has officially requested to join the BRICS group of emerging economies, citing frustration with its stalled EU membership bid. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan believes the global center of gravity is shifting away from developed economies and wants to forge new ties beyond traditional Western allies. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan mentioned BRICS as a good alternative to the EU in early June, and later confirmed ongoing dialogue between Ankara and BRICS nations. Turkey's accession talks with the EU have faced obstacles since 2005, despite applying to join the EU predecessor organization in 1987. The BRICS bloc, which recently expanded to include Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, and the UAE, is pursuing the creation of a common currency to de-dollarize trade and circumvent Western sanctions. Palestine's ambassador in Moscow also announced plans to apply to join BRICS. Erdogan has shown interest in joining China's Shanghai Cooperation Council and attended the SCO summit in Kazakhstan, stating that Turkey can become a strong, prosperous, prestigious, and effective country by improving relations with both the East and the West simultaneously.