Turkey offered partner status by BRICS amid bid to balance East-West ties

Turkey has been offered partner country status by BRICS, the bloc of emerging economies, as part of its ongoing efforts to balance its relationships between Eastern and Western powers, Trade Minister Ömer Bolat announced.

The BRICS group, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, along with new members Ethiopia, Iran, Egypt, and the UAE, has recently drawn Turkey's interest. Turkey, a NATO member, formally expressed its intention to join the bloc earlier this year.

Speaking to Turkish broadcaster TVNet, Bolat confirmed the offer, describing the partner status as a transitional phase within BRICS' organizational structure. The offer comes after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended a BRICS summit in Kazan, hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin, underscoring Ankara’s aspirations for deeper engagement with the group.

"Turkey views BRICS as an opportunity to enhance economic cooperation with member states, not as an alternative to its NATO commitments," Erdoğan stated previously. Turkish officials have emphasized that participation in BRICS would complement, not replace, its Western alliances.

In a declaration issued on October 23, BRICS introduced a new "partner country" category, signaling a shift in its membership structure. However, it remains unclear whether Turkey will accept this status. An official from Erdoğan's ruling AK Party noted that while the proposal was discussed at the summit, it may not fully meet Turkey’s ambitions for full membership.

The development reflects Ankara's broader strategy of engaging with both Eastern and Western partners to bolster its geopolitical and economic standing.