Parliament speaker expresses hope for Türkiye's swift BRICS membership

MOSCOW

Parliament speaker, Numan Kurtulmuş, expressed optimism on Tuesday regarding Türkiye's potential membership in the BRICS economic group, during discussions with Valentina Matvienko, Chairwoman of Russia's Federation Council, in Moscow.

“I hope that Türkiye’s BRICS membership will materialize as soon as possible,” Kurtulmuş saidd, according to a Turkish parliament statement.

He reiterated Türkiye’s firm intention to join new alliances that contribute to a multipolar world, highlighting BRICS as a strategic engagement.

According to Kurtulmuş, Türkiye's inclusion in BRICS will make a “serious contribution to world peace.”

He noted ongoing exchanges between Ankara and Moscow as both nations aim to strengthen ties, particularly focusing on achieving a $100 billion trade volume set by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Türkiye has refrained from participating in unilateral sanctions against Russia, Kurtulmuş said, due to the potential political repercussions and adverse effects on Russian citizens.

"These are not correct sanctions in terms of rule-based international relations, and such unilateral sanctions have never yielded positive results," he said, reiterating Ankara's stance.

Kurtulmuş also expressed optimism about the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, expected to begin energy production in 2025, and emphasized the benefits of cooperation in energy projects like the TurkStream natural gas pipeline, beneficial to both countries and the broader region.

Matvienko underscored the importance of Kurtulmuş’ visit to Russia, foreseeing enhanced inter-parliamentary relations. She noted the ongoing strengthening of commercial and economic ties between the nations, supported by Erdoğan and Putin's leadership.

Addressing the Situation in Gaza

Kurtulmuş also addressed the Palestine situation, noting that Türkiye and Russia share a unified stance on the crimes committed in the Gaza Strip. He criticized Israeli policies, labeling them as a “crime against humanity,” and expressed the need for accountability in international courts.

Ankara is actively working to secure peace in Gaza, facilitate humanitarian aid, end Israeli occupation, and establish an independent Palestinian state based on 1967 borders. Kurtulmuş stressed the necessity for Türkiye and Russia to leverage their influence to support the humanitarian front and pursue peace in Palestine.

“We believe that countries such as Türkiye and Russia, which stand by the Palestinian people, must mobilize all their power to strengthen the humanitarian front and achieve peace in Palestine. We see that we have serious cooperation and a serious common perspective with Russia on this issue,” he said.

Despite a U.N. Security Council resolution for an immediate ceasefire, Israel has continued its offensive in Gaza following a Hamas attack on Oct. 7 last year that killed nearly 1,200 Israelis. In retaliation, Israeli attacks have reportedly resulted in nearly 41,400 Palestinian deaths, primarily women and children, with over 95,700 injured, according to Gaza health authorities.

Tensions have also risen between the Lebanese group, Hezbollah, and Israel amid escalating cross-border attacks and growing fears of a full-scale war in the region.