Erdogan Asserts Turkey's Commitment to East-West Balance Amid Rising BRICS and SCO Ambitions

President Erdogan has reiterated Turkey's intention to strengthen ties with both East and West, expressing interest in joining BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). His statements aim to dispel Western fears of a geopolitical shift as Turkey adapts to changing global power dynamics in economy, production, and technology.

President Tayyip Erdogan reaffirmed Turkey's commitment to deepening ties with the East, including the BRICS group and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), on Wednesday while continuing to engage with the West. The NATO member has recently expressed interest in joining both BRICS and SCO, raising concerns in the U.S. and Europe over Turkey's geopolitical orientation.

During an event in Ankara, Erdogan dismissed debates over an 'axis shift' as unfounded but emphasized that Turkey must adapt to new 'centres of power' in areas like economy, production, and technology. 'That is the approach behind our country's will to expand dialogue from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation to BRICS and ASEAN,' Erdogan stated.

'Of course, our face is turned to the West, but this certainly does not mean that we will turn our backs on the East or ignore and not improve our ties with the East,' he added. BRICS includes countries like China and Russia that aspire to expand the group further to counter Western economic dominance, while the SCO serves as a political and economic counterweight to Western alliances.

(With inputs from agencies.)