Moscow has expressed support for Ankara's interest in joining BRICS, according to Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
This initiative is set to be discussed at the upcoming BRICS summit.
"We all obviously welcome the increased interest towards BRICS from our neighbors, including such important partners as Turkey. Obviously, the issue of this interest will be on the agenda of the BRICS summit, which will be chaired by Russia and which we are actively preparing for," Peskov told Tass.
BRICS is an intergovernmental organization, and the current members are Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Peskov acknowledged that while BRICS cannot accommodate all interested countries immediately, the organization is keen to maintain contacts with interested states and is devising various formats for engagement.
"This is a lengthy process. But we welcome such a lively interest," he emphasized.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan had previously indicated Ankara's desire to join BRICS, noting that the issue would be discussed at the group’s ministerial meeting in Nizhny Novgorod.
He mentioned that some European countries oppose Turkey joining the EU, leading Turkish authorities to consider BRICS as an alternative integration platform.
The BRICS foreign ministers will meet in Nizhny Novgorod on June 10-11.
