At Geopolitical Crossroads, Turkey Eyes Membership in Russia-Led Economic Bloc

Published on September 6, 2024

News Analysis Despite its longstanding membership in the Western NATO alliance, Turkey this week confirmed its intention to join BRICS, a nine-nation economic bloc dominated by heavyweights Russia and China. While the move is sure to raise hackles in Brussels and Washington, some foreign policy experts believe it is unlikely to affect Turkey’s long-term relations with its Western allies. Turkish observers say the move constitutes a “natural reaction” to longstanding grievances—one intended to show the collective West that Ankara has “alternatives” to the NATO alliance. On Sept. 3, Omer Celik, a spokesman for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, confirmed Turkey’s intention to join the BRICS group of nations....

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