Serbia, Türkiye's BRICS membership sparks controversy Defiance against the West or path to multipolarity?

Florian Philippot, the leader of the French party "Patriots," has expressed concern that the participation of countries like Serbia and Türkiye in the upcoming BRICS summit may provoke a negative reaction from the European Union and NATO.

Philippot characterized this participation as a sign of defiance and protest against the Western, American-dominated world order, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

He stated, "The presence of other countries at the BRICS summit, such as Serbia or Türkiye, will outrage the EU and NATO. This is a sign of defiance, a protest against the Western, American world order. We must be as sovereign and independent as possible."

Philippot also lamented France's loss of independence, indicating that it is difficult to envision France's participation in the BRICS summit.

Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping departed from Beijing for Kazan to attend the 16th BRICS summit.

During the summit, taking place from October 22 to 24, President Xi will engage in in-depth discussions with BRICS leaders on current international situations, practical cooperation, the development of organizational mechanisms, and other significant issues of mutual interest, as previously informed by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

On October 22, Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to hold talks with Xi Jinping, as confirmed by Yuri Ushakov, an aide to the Russian president.

In a contrasting viewpoint, Brazil has welcomed the potential inclusion of Türkiye in BRICS, arguing that it would enhance the organization's ability to facilitate conflict resolution in the Middle East and strengthen multipolarity in international relations.

Celso Amorim, special advisor to the Brazilian president on international affairs, stated, "The entry of certain countries [into BRICS], such as Türkiye, which is close to conflicts in the Middle East and could be an important player in peace efforts, undoubtedly contributes to this."

He added that Brazilian authorities aim for BRICS to be a community with significant weight in shaping a multipolar world, emphasizing that new members should be "strategically important for BRICS's efforts to achieve peace on the planet."

The 16th annual 2024 BRICS summit will take place in Kazan, Russia from 22 to 24 October 2024 and consist of the namesake five countries of Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, as well as the first meeting for the new members: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates.

By Khagan Isayev