Turkey seeks to join the BRICS bloc of emerging economies, a Kremlin official says

MOSCOW (AP) — A top Kremlin official says Turkey has formally applied for a membership in the BRICS bloc of developing economies as Russia and China seek to counter the West’s global influence. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said several times that his country aspires to become a member of the BRICS alliance. The group was founded in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India and China, with South Africa joining in 2010. It recently has undergone an expansion, and now includes Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates. BRICS seeks to amplify the voice of major emerging economies to counterbalance the Western-led global order.