NATO Member Turkey Applies To join G7 Rival BRICS

Turkey has become the first Nato member to formally apply to join the Brics group of emerging market nations led by Russia and China.

The move is a sign of Ankara’s frustration with the West over long-delayed negotiations to join the EU, which have stalled for years after beginning in 2005, and support for Israel’s war in Gaza.

Despite being part of the US-dominated military alliance, Ankara has not joined Western sanctions imposed on the Kremlin for Vladimir Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

Instead, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish president, has carved out a mediation role between Russia and Ukraine, playing a crucial role in negotiations over grain shipments from Black Sea ports and the recent prisoner swap between Moscow and Washington. Mr Erdogan, who has repeatedly criticised US support for Israel’s war on Hamas, insisted Ankara did not have to choose between the EU and other partners in an increasingly polarised world.

“On the contrary, we have to develop our relations with both these and other organisations on a win-win basis,” he said. “Any method other than this will not benefit Turkey, but will harm it.”

The Brics rivals the US-led G7 group of rich nations on the world stage. It is named after Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa but the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia and Egypt joined earlier this year.

Russia and China, both thorns in Nato’s side, have a “no limits” alliance, which has deepened since Moscow was ostracised by the West.