Turkey has officially applied to join the BRICS, US media reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the matter.
Ankara expects that this move will increase its global influence as well as create new ties with non-western allies, the media reported.
Turkey remains a candidate for EU membership, a journey that began in 1987 with its application to the European Community, the precursor to the European Union. The EU formally accepted Turkey's application in 1999, paving the way for official accession negotiations, which commenced in 2005. However, the European Commission's 2022 enlargement report presented a sobering outlook on Turkey's EU accession prospects, noting that a number of issues that hinder the country's EU accession still need to be addressed.