„It is hard to understand [Türkiye’s decision] (&). Trust in that country will diminish, absolutely. Questions have already been raised as to how we reconcile in the Alliance the positions of those who are pro-Ukraine and those who are pro-Russian – I would even call them a kind of a Russian group – those who help to circumvent sanctions against Russia, all of which undermines confidence in whether we are capable of taking joint decisions in the event of a crisis involving action on the Russian side,“ Landsbergis told reporters in the Seimas on Tuesday.
He said he viewed it as a consequence of „certain situations“ developing inside the major countries.
„A vacuum is felt and then new processes start to emerge there,“ Landsbergis noted.
Earlier on Tuesday, Asta Skaisgirytė, chief foreign policy adviser to President Gitanas Nausėda, downplayed Türkiye’s ambition to become a BRICS member. She said it was merely the country’s desire to become more visible as a geopolitical player.
Bloomberg reported Monday that Türkiye had formally applied to join the BRICS group of nations as it seeks to increase its influence in the world and forge new links beyond its traditional allies in the West.
The BRICS name derives from the initials of founding members Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
This year, the bloc of developing nations welcomed four new members – Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia and Egypt.