Türkiye seeks to expand strategic reach at BRICS

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan joins the BRICS summit in the Russian city of Kazan Wednesday at the invitation of his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. He will meet with the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

But experts said Türkiye's bid to join did not mean it will turn its back on the West, nor on Ukraine, whose top diplomat visited on Monday - let alone NATO.

Erdoğan and Putin will discuss in particular the possibility of creating a gas hub at the BRICS summit this week, TASS has reported, citing a statement of the press service of the Russian president.

The meeting is expected to take place on Oct. 23 on the sidelines of the summit.

The multi-aspect cooperation between Russia and Türkiye is developing dynamically in all the main areas and has a partnering and mutually beneficial nature, the Kremlin said.

"Efficient interaction was established with Turkish partners in the gas sphere. Blue Stream and TurkStream pipelines on the Black Sea bottom are functioning in a stable way," the press service said.

"Heads of state will also consider the project of creating the international gas hub in the territory of Türkiye as part of the meeting in Kazan," it added.

Prospects of developing trade and economic ties will be discussed during negotiations, whose volumes stood at $55.4 billion in 2023, the press service noted.

Türkiye said last month it had asked to join the group of emerging market nations. If admitted, it would be the first NATO member in a bloc which sees itself as a counterweight to Western powers.

Most of its members are sharply at odds with the West over the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, and in the case of Beijing and Moscow, also its stance on the Ukraine war....