"While developing cooperation with the Western world, we do not neglect the East. We intend to strengthen our dialogue with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), BRICS, and ASEAN. We have recently taken important steps in this direction. We have achieved a completely different climate. We will continue to develop our cooperation with various regional organizations, focusing on Turkey and putting our country's interests first," Erdogan said, as quoted by Turkish state agency Anadolu.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov previously said that Turkey had applied for full-fledged membership in BRICS and that it would be considered. According to Ushakov, Erdogan accepted an invitation to the BRICS summit, which will be held from October 22-24 in Kazan.