Ankara, October 29, 2024 – The Europe Today: Türkiye’s strengthening ties with the BRICS bloc are not a substitute for its established alliances, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan clarified following a Cabinet meeting on Monday. Emphasizing a “Türkiye-centered approach” in navigating the evolving global landscape, Erdogan stressed that the nation’s engagement with BRICS, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, aligns with Türkiye’s broader strategic objectives.
“Our developing relations with BRICS are by no means an alternative to our existing engagements. We are not changing course. Instead, we are claiming our rightful place in the changing global system,” Erdogan said. He reaffirmed Türkiye’s long-standing NATO membership and its continued pursuit of full European Union membership, highlighting that Türkiye’s foreign policy advances are driven by national interests.
President Erdogan attended last week’s BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, as an invited guest, where Türkiye’s participation underscored its balanced approach to global partnerships. In response to a recent terrorist attack by the PKK on the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) headquarters in Ankara, which claimed five lives and injured 22, Erdogan stated that Türkiye’s forces have targeted over 470 PKK sites and neutralized 213 terrorists in subsequent operations.
“We have ‘crumpled up’ the messages intended by this heinous attack,” Erdogan asserted, reiterating Türkiye’s resolve to strengthen its defense sector, which he described as a significant source of national pride. The PKK, recognized as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and the EU, has been responsible for over 40,000 deaths throughout its 40-year insurgency against Türkiye.
