Türkiye evaluating BRICS partnership offer: Turkish top diplomat

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan revealed on Thursday that Türkiye is assessing a partnership offer from BRICS following its expression of interest in joining the bloc.

“We have expressed our interest in BRICS membership, and we received a partnership offer, which we are currently evaluating,” Fidan said during a parliamentary session in the Turkish parliament.

“BRICS is not an organization with a formal application and acceptance mechanism. The members gather and issue invitations, but countries also need to express their interest. We have done so. We received a partnership offer, and we are evaluating it. Currently, no country has been officially invited for membership,” Fidan clarified.

Schengen visa and EU relations

Fidan also reiterated that Türkiye’s goal of EU membership remains firm, with two key negotiations ongoing: visa liberalization and customs union modernization.

He reported that visa applications to the EU had risen by 36%, while rejection rates increased slightly by 0.4%. Of the 278,476 applicants, 48,638 were rejected.

Fidan attributed processing delays to staffing shortages and anti-immigrant sentiments in Europe. Meanwhile, he also acknowledged that Türkiye’s military operations in Syria had influenced the political climate on these negotiations.

“The Russia-Ukraine war has created a new geopolitical environment, and we are bringing these matters back to the table,” he added, underscoring Türkiye’s resolve to address these issues.