EU Pressure on Turkey to Avoid BRICS: What is going on?

The European Union (EU) is accelerating efforts to enhance its relations with Turkey, with a focus on strengthening trade ties in 2024. This comes despite Turkey’s growing interest in BRICS a group it views as a strategic alternative due to frustration over stagnant progress with Brussels. Why does Turkey want to join BRICS? Economically, BRICS membership could open new markets for Turkish products and services. The bloc represents around 40% of the world’s population and a significant portion of global GDP, offering vast opportunities for trade expansion. Additionally, Turkey could benefit from increased investment flows and technology transfers from BRICS countries, particularly China and Russia. These partnerships could bolster Turkey’s technological capabilities and infrastructure development, which are crucial for its economic growth. Moreover, BRICS is working towards reducing reliance on the US dollar by promoting local currency transactions and creating a new reserve currency. This aligns with Turkey’s interest in enhancing its financial stability and reducing vulnerability to currency fluctuations. Geopolitically, by joining BRICS, Turkey aims to balance its relations with Western countries and enhance its influence in a multipolar world order. This move is seen as a way to strengthen Turkey’s geopolitical standing without abandoning its ties with NATO and the EU. Furthermore, Turkey seeks to play a more active role in global governance by aligning with BRICS, which advocates for a more equitable international system. This stance resonates with Turkey’s criticism of the current Western-dominated global order and its desire for more inclusive decision-making processes at the international level Simultaneously, the EU has intensified efforts to attract Turkey by pushing to revive and modernize the customs union. The goal is to expand cooperation in services, public procurement, and sustainable development. This initiative also aims to address trade irritants and improve migration management, which is a key component of the 2016 EU-Turkey statement. Despite these efforts, Turkey has shown interest in joining BRICS, seeking to diversify its economic relations and strengthen ties with non-Western powers. This interest aligns with Turkey’s broader foreign policy goals of expanding its influence and economic partnerships beyond traditional Western alliances.