Türkiye faces potential Western threats over BRICS membership, politician claims

Hakan Topkuru, Deputy Chairman of the Turkish Vatan Party, has warned that the West may threaten Türkiye with military action if Ankara moves forward with joining BRICS.

"If BRICS membership is realized, there is a possibility of threats against Türkiye through the financial manoeuvres of New York and London bankers who have entered Türkiye over the past year, as well as through military forces positioned around Türkiye," Topkuru stated, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

He emphasized that Türkiye must stand firm against these threats by aligning with its natural allies. Topkuru highlighted the importance of Türkiye uniting with Russia, Iran, Syria, and Iraq, suggesting that the most direct path to achieving this is through BRICS membership.

Earlier reports indicated that Russia has set a new strategic goal for BRICS: to move away from the use of the US dollar. Columnist Thomas Fazi, writing for UnHerd, noted that "sanctions against Russia have underscored the need for financial independence, making the de-dollarization program not just desirable, but essential."

For the record, Türkiye has formally submitted a request to join the BRICS group, a move signalling the country's intention to expand its global influence and reduce dependence on traditional Western allies. By joining BRICS, Türkiye seeks to enhance economic relations with major non-Western powers, especially Russia and China, which are key partners in trade and energy.

The BRICS bloc, which originally began as BRIC in 2006, encompasses some of the world’s largest emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, which joined in 2010. BRICS positions itself as a counterbalance to Western-dominated institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank. 

The latest BRICS summit, which marks the 16th annual gathering, is hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin in Kazan on October 22-24, further strengthening the group’s political and economic agenda aimed at challenging the West’s dominance.

By Khagan Isayev