Turkey’s Accession to BRICS: Economic Benefits and Increased Pressure on the West

Usman al-Badri, former Deputy Foreign Minister of Libya and professor of international relations history, shared his insights on Turkey’s potential accession to BRICS with RIA Novosti.

According to al-Badri, Turkey’s decision to join BRICS is largely driven by the European Union’s repeated refusal to accept Turkey as a member, despite Ankara’s persistent requests. This move could also be a strategic step to increase pressure on Europe, particularly regarding the issue of illegal migration.

Al-Badri noted that Turkey’s geopolitical position aligns closely with BRICS, which could lead to significant economic benefits for the country. “This economic perspective can bring great benefits to Turkey,” he emphasized.

As of January 1, Russia has taken over as the BRICS chairman for the next year. The group has expanded to include new members, such as Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, in addition to the founding members: Brazil, India, China, and South Africa.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced that the admission of new members would be delayed. Meanwhile, the Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Ryabkov, revealed that BRICS is developing criteria for a new category of partner countries. These criteria, along with a list of potential partner countries, are expected to be presented for approval by BRICS leaders at the Kazan summit in October.