Russian FM hails Türkiye's serious commitment to joining BRICS

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasised Türkiye's serious commitment to joining BRICS.

He made this statement in an interview when asked about Türkiye's intentions to become part of the alliance, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

 "I assume that when a country's leadership announces that they are taking concrete steps, it is based on serious intentions," the minister said.

Lavrov also noted that BRICS has no rules prohibiting members of certain organisations from establishing relationships with the group.

"For full-fledged members and countries developing cooperation with BRICS in various forms, the key is to share common values—unlike the so-called European values that the EU constantly defends in Ukraine. They claim that Ukraine is protecting European values, and therefore, they feel obligated to defend these European values," he added. 

The EU is making it clear to Türkiye that joining the union requires Ankara to align with anti-Russian sanctions. "When it comes to Türkiye, NATO remains silent. I think the Americans have suggested that Türkiye's pursuit of BRICS membership is incompatible with NATO membership. The European Commission representative was much more direct. He stated that Türkiye must understand that moving toward the EU is incompatible with BRICS membership, and vice versa. EU candidates must align with the EU's common foreign and security policy. This is a clear indication that Türkiye would need to join anti-Russian sanctions if it wants to become an EU member," the minister emphasised.

Türkiye had officially applied to join BRICS. Türkiye is seeking to enhance its global influence and establish new connections beyond its traditional Western allies. Following Türkiye's application to BRICS, the EU reached out to Türkiye to discuss the implications of its bid. BRICS is an acronym for an association of five major emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The group was originally known as BRIC until South Africa joined in 2010, expanding the acronym.  Established in 2009, BRICS was created to foster collaboration among these countries in various fields such as economic development, political dialogue, and cultural exchange. The organisation aims to enhance the global influence of its member states and provide a platform for coordination on international economic and political issues.

The primary goal of BRICS is to promote peace, security, and development across the member states and in the broader global context. The group seeks to reform global financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank to better reflect the economic weight of emerging economies. BRICS countries collaborate on a range of issues including trade, investment, and sustainable development.