Turkey to deepen ties with East while maintaining Western focus says Erdogan

President Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday that Turkey will continue deepening ties with the East, including the BRICS group and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), while maintaining its focus on the West.

Turkey, a NATO member, has expressed interest in joining BRICS and the SCO, as well as China and Russia. This has raised concerns in the U.S. and Europe about a potential shift in Turkey's traditionally Western geopolitical alignment despite Ankara's repeated denials.

Speaking at an event in Ankara, Erdogan said claims of an "axis shift" were baseless but that Turkey must adapt to new "centers of power" emerging in economy, production, and technology while staying open to opportunities with all actors.

"Of course, our face is turned to the West, but this doesn't mean we'll turn our backs on the East or neglect improving our ties with the East," he said.

"That's the approach behind our country's desire to expand dialogue with groups like the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, BRICS, and ASEAN," Erdogan added.