BRICS nations will review Turkey’s application for full membership in the organization, according to Yuri Ushakov, a top aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Ria Novosti news agency reported.
“Turkey has applied for full membership. We will consider it,” Ushakov told reporters on Monday. His comments confirm earlier reports that Turkey had formally requested to join the BRICS group of emerging-market nations, which currently consists of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
Turkey’s interest in BRICS comes as the group expands its membership. Earlier this year, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia were invited to join the association, which positions itself as an alternative to Western-dominated global institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Saudi Arabia has yet to accept the invitation.
Russia, which holds the rotating BRICS presidency this year, will host a BRICS summit October 22-24 in Kazan, where the expansion of the group is expected to be a major topic of discussion. Ushakov noted that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has accepted an invitation to attend the upcoming summit.
Erdoğan’s government has maintained close ties with Russia despite the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which has created friction with NATO allies. Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has previously expressed the desire for the country to play a prominent role in key global platforms, including BRICS.
AKP spokesperson Ömer Çelik confirmed that Turkey’s request to join BRICS is part of a broader effort to enhance its international presence.
“The process is ongoing, and we will share further developments when they occur,” Çelik said.
BRICS member countries represent a substantial portion of the global economy. With a combined population of 3.5 billion—about 45 percent of the world’s total—the BRICS nations account for roughly 28 percent of global economic output. BRICS countries also produce nearly 44 percent of the world’s crude oil.
Founded in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India and China, BRICS was originally known as BRIC until the inclusion of South Africa in 2011. The group has sought to increase the influence of developing nations in global affairs, and in 2014 it established the New Development Bank to fund infrastructure projects in member countries.