In a significant diplomatic meeting held in Ankara, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan expressed strong support for BRICS, while sharply criticizing the European Union (EU) during a joint press conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. This meeting coincided with the three-year anniversary of Russia’s extensive military actions in Ukraine, marking an important moment to discuss various geopolitical issues.
Criticism of EU membership negotiations
During the press conference, Fidan remarked that Türkiye’s negotiations for EU membership have effectively stalled, attributing this standstill to what he called the bloc’s “Islamophobic” perspective. Türkiye, a NATO member, has been a candidate for EU membership since 1999 and commenced formal negotiations in 2005. However, these discussions have faced significant challenges. Fidan highlighted the deadlock that began in 2018, which stemmed from concerns about the country’s democratic practices and legal standards under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as well as ongoing disputes with EU member Cyprus.
Fidan stated, “We have a long-standing membership adventure with the European Union, which is right next to us and which is highly institutionalised.” He continued, “The membership negotiations have frozen at some point due to the European Union’s discomfort in taking a large Muslim country into its fold due to its identity politics. No one says this openly, but this is the situation.”
BRICS: A new avenue for Türkiye
Fidan also shared his insights on Türkiye’s aspirations to join BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Ethiopia, Iran, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates), highlighting the importance of Türkiye’s participation in global economic discussions. He noted that Türkiye had applied for full membership in BRICS last year, seeking to enhance its connections with both Eastern and Western nations. However, he pointed out that there has been no invitation for membership thus far.
“We closely follow BRICS, we have clearly shown our interest, but as far as we understand, BRICS has frozen the recruitment of new members in order to carry its own institutionalisation to a point,” Fidan explained. “We have not been offered membership. Therefore, we continue to follow closely at the moment.”
In a favorable comparison to the EU, Fidan praised BRICS for its inclusive nature, stating, “Unlike the European Union, the composition of BRICS is very inclusive. Seeing countries of all colours, religions, cultures and civilisations coming together … Whatever people and civilisations there are, they are trying to create a platform here. I hope that an institutionalised and inclusive economic approach will also develop here.”
Last September, Fidan had noted that Türkiye would not be pursuing BRICS membership had the country been granted EU membership, indicating a strategic shift in foreign policy. The Turkish government views BRICS as a potential opportunity to enhance economic collaboration with its member nations, while affirming that such ties would not compromise Türkiye’s commitments to NATO or its relationships with Western powers. Under President Erdoğan’s leadership, which has spanned more than twenty years, the nation has sought to adopt a more autonomous foreign policy and amplify its global standing.