Türkiye eyes BRICS membership, discussion expected at upcoming meeting

Fidan, currently on a visit to China, made the statement in an interview reported by the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

“Certainly, we would like to become a member of BRICS. So we’ll see how it goes this year,” Fidan stated, expressing optimism about Türkiye's potential membership.

Fidan is scheduled to attend a meeting of BRICS foreign ministers in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, next week. This meeting will include representatives from BRICS countries as well as newly inducted members: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The possibility of Turkey joining BRICS is expected to be a key topic on the agenda, leading up to the October summit in Kazan.

“We see potential in BRICS,” Fidan added, highlighting Türkiye's strategic interest in joining the bloc.

The expansion of BRICS has been notable recently. Six new members were invited to join in August 2023, but Argentina declined the invitation in late December. However, five new members – Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE – commenced full BRICS membership on January 1, 2024. (ILKHA)