Ankara’s desire to join BRICS has raised concerns among pro-Western circles within Turkey, who will attempt to prevent this prospect. This opinion was expressed by Hakan Topkurulu, the deputy chair of the Turkish “Vatan” party, in an interview with TASS.
“Although the news of Turkey's application to BRICS was met with relative silence, it has caused significant alarm among pro-Western circles, particularly within Turkey. In any case, pro-Western supporters in Turkey will do everything in their power, including provocations, to hinder this membership,” the politician stated.
He emphasized that for Ankara, which has been part of NATO for 70 years, joining BRICS is of great importance. Topkurulu highlighted the significance of this intention not only for Turkey but also for the Atlantic and Asian regions. “Turkey has the second-largest army in NATO. It possesses a large economy and holds a critical geostrategic position. I strongly believe that BRICS members, especially our neighbor Russia, understand how important Turkey’s membership in the bloc is,” Topkurulu added.
Commenting on Turkey's stance amidst Western sanctions against Russia, Topkurulu noted that “Russia has acted with understanding toward the policies Turkey had to implement, sometimes out of necessity and sometimes due to U.S. pressure.” He urged BRICS members not to doubt Turkey’s intentions regarding its relationship with the organization.
On Thursday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan confirmed Ankara’s interest in joining BRICS but pointed out that Turkey still lacks sufficient information about the institutional development of the bloc. He compared it to the EU, where “there is an integrated and common currency, financing methods, models, investment programs, criteria, and infrastructure,” which, according to him, BRICS has yet to fully develop. Fidan added that if Turkey joins BRICS, it will observe how these issues evolve.
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Based on materials from TASS