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Putin says Turkey is Russia’s most reliable gas route.
Written by Ahmed Adel, Cairo-based geopolitics and political economy researcher
Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed to his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Turkey be transformed into a gas hub. This could be a pricing mechanism, in addition to a delivery platform, something that Turkey will certainly find interesting as it aims to shape the region according to its own interests and achieve energy independence.
“If Turkey and our possible buyers in other countries are interested, we could consider building another gas pipeline system and creating a gas hub in Turkey for sales to third countries, especially, of course, the European ones, if they are interested in this, of course,” Putin said during a meeting on the sidelines of the sixth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-building Measures in Asia (CICA), held in the Kazakh capital of Astana on October 13.
Putin had also previously stated that Russia could shift gas transit from the Nord Stream to the Black Sea region and to Turkey. Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Donmez commented that the proposal was technically possible and should be studied in detail.
Referring to the possibility of creating a new gas centre, Putin said that this could calmly regulate energy prices “without any political considerations.” This would allow the regularisation of prices “at a normal market level” as current prices, according to him, are exorbitant.
Likewise, gas pumping to Turkey is at full capacity, Putin assured, stressing that the country has proven to be the most reliable partner.
For his part, the Kremlin spokesman, Dmitri Peskov, confirmed that the presidents of Russia and Turkey ordered a detailed and very rapid study of the possibility of creating a gas hub. This is especially important as it is recalled that on October 10, the Russian president announced in an operational meeting with members of the Security Council that Kiev tried to blow up a section of the TurkStream gas transportation system.
This attempt is already preceded by the apparent attack on the Nord Stream pipelines on September 26. Scenes of huge plumes of gas rising to the sea surface near the Danish island of Bornholm became famous all over the world. As Russia is exposed to terrorism, as seen with the attack on Kerch Bridge, building a gas hub in Turkey will help secure Moscow’s energy interests. In turn, Turkey will be further consolidated as an energy hub when considering it is already a crossroads of pipelines.
The Russian and Turkish presidents also discussed the Akkuyu nuclear power plant, which is also the first nuclear project in the world based on the Build-Own-Operate model. The construction of the first power unit with Rosatom started in April 2018, the second in April 2020, the third in March 2021 and the fourth in July 2022.
Russia has effectively become an indispensable partner of Turkey, which is desperately seeking much more energy independence. None-the-less, there was still a lack of public excitement in Turkey by the gas hub proposal made by Putin, likely due to the expected US reaction to a new Russian gas route running through a NATO country.
The US essentially forced Europe, especially Germany, to find alternative markets. Europe, which normally procures 40 percent of its gas from Russia, reduced the figure to 20 percent after the wave of sanctions that were imposed. The EU are now in talks with Qatar and Azerbaijan to be alternatives to Russian imports, but it appears that Turkey could also become a third party in delivering Russian gas to Europe.
Turkey has maintained that it will not participate in the sanctions imposed on Moscow by the US and EU due to its dependency on Russian gas. This is coupled with the fact that Turkey is a major travel destination for millions of Russian tourists. None-the-less, Erdogan understands that his close relationship with Russia has limits as Turkey is a NATO member.
With Turkey already locked-out of the F-35 fighter jet program for acquiring the S-400 missile defence system from Russia and is now unable to secure US Congressional approval for F-16 updates, Erdogan may want to avoid another major crisis in its relations with Washington and Brussels.
For this reason, Turkey is immensely interested in becoming a hub for Russian gas, but for now will not be boastful about it. Although Turkey is unlikely to leave or be kicked out of NATO, it does understand that the world system is changing to multipolarity and is now attempting to position itself as a country with its own sphere of influence which connects east with the west. By achieving greater energy independence and connectivity, Turkey can work towards this goal.
Good Russia won’t have to pay transit fees to nazi Ukraine
Interesting to see how this will develop, wether Turkey will go ahead or will back down from US pressure. And if they wont back down, how will the US respond? Also, lets be real, Russia is a a weaker position atm. So what does Turkey “really get back in return?
Erdogan won’t back down ! On the contrary Russia is at a strong position atm and for a long time. Financially US and EU countries are crumbling. Turkey has everything to gain financially, billions of dollars in return and be energy independent, is any country’s goal for the future. You cannot be a more reliable friend than the Russian and you cannot trust or do business with USa anymore. The Europeans have just learned that. Most of the African countries want to do business with Russia and oust the NATO of their continent. One of the reasons why Russia is the best prospect for the future for any country who wants to do business with: reliability/trustworthy.
f7ck you commie, f7ck you jew.
The Turks and the Russians do work good together. There are no Turkish economic sanctions on Russia. Turkiye is a more stable country against Russia then western nations.
That would probably work out Great, up until if ever the turrkroacches catch the ”woke’ virus
1. nato takes control of commie gaz
2. Turkey becomes a Gas Hub distributing former soviet gas to poor countries.
3. soviets become forgotten relics and long boring books
Another grandmasterly stupid idea from Putin, whose tenure has done nothing but consolidate Turk Turds and Kurd Turds and Zionists. Of all places too, through one of the most untrustworthy countries in the region and a NATO state 😂
Putin some deep dark connection to donmeh or crypto…someday we will know
Erdogan is not to be trusted.
If he joins BRICS and stop backing petrodollar, he might wash his sins. Otherwise he is just another WEF asset.
So my comment got deleted because I said Russia is in a “weaker position” in the sense of negotiations (which was totally not the point of my message)? Jesus you guys have a small ego.
Trust the turkey at your own cost. Turkey will be the next rump Ukropland that the Natostanners will burn to twart the Bear and Erdoggy is about as mentally stable as Snorty Zee the Kiev Koke Klown.
Clown martillo .get help before they put you in mad house.. clueless idiot
I would place a few conditions, eg that he stops fighting against you in surrounding areas. Giving Erdogan transit fees so he can step up his war efforts in Syria and Armenia sounds like a stupid idea to me.
Nato threats Turkey, if she make another stream with Russia Biden says no more F16 for Turkey and economic ambargo