Turkey's Energy Strategy: Diversification Amid Geopolitical Pressures

Turkey's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar, has confirmed the country's strategy to procure natural gas from multiple sources, including Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, and Turkmenistan. In an interview with CNN TÜRK, Bayraktar emphasized the importance of energy security for Turkish citizens, stating, “We must buy gas from anywhere we can.” With winter approaching, he highlighted plans to increase natural gas production in the Black Sea, projecting a quadrupling of output by 2028 to reach 15-16 billion cubic meters annually. Bayraktar also noted that Turkey's daily gasification capacity has increased significantly, from 30 million cubic meters in 2016 to 161 million cubic meters today.

Türkiye wants to increase gas imports from Russia, Azerbaijan, TurkmenistanThe European Parliament aims to accelerate the phase-out of Russian oil and gas, but not Turkey.Iran’s Golden Opportunity in Gas Exports to Turkey

Bayraktar addressed rumors regarding Turkey's potential gas purchases from Egypt, clarifying that Egypt is currently not selling LNG to Turkey. Instead, Turkey has a three-year agreement to rent floating LNG terminals to Egypt for export purposes. He reiterated Turkey's commitment to diversifying its energy sources, particularly in light of the European Parliament's plans to phase out Russian energy imports by 2026. Despite these pressures, Bayraktar stated that decisions regarding Russian oil purchases are made by private companies, not the government, indicating Turkey's ongoing reliance on Russian energy.

The European Parliament aims to accelerate the phase-out of Russian oil and gas, but not Turkey.

Critics have raised concerns about Turkey's continued energy ties with Russia, especially as the European Union moves to reduce its dependence on Russian energy. The European Parliament's Industry Committee is working on amendments to the RePowerEU plan, which aims to ban new Russian gas imports by early 2026. In contrast, Turkey has rejected calls to cease its Russian oil purchases, arguing that it must prioritize energy security and diversification.

The European Parliament aims to accelerate the phase-out of Russian oil and gas, but not Turkey.“Trump bluffs, but pipelines don’t bend”: Taiwan emerges as top buyer of Russian naphtha in 2025 with $1.3B imports as Modi and Jaishankar defy Trump’s G7 pressure, insisting India’s energy security i

Reports have emerged regarding Turkish oil tankers, such as the Nissos Tinos, which have been linked to crude oil deliveries to Israel. Researchers from the Palestinian Youth Movement have documented that the Nissos Tinos loaded crude oil in Turkey and has a history of delivering to Israeli ports. Despite Turkey's official stance denying any oil shipments to Israel since May 2024, evidence suggests that such shipments continue, raising questions about Turkey's compliance with its stated embargo on trade with Israel.

Middle East Eye

• “We must buy gas from anywhere we can,” — Alparslan Bayraktar, Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources

Türkiye wants to increase gas imports from Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan

• “Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar stated that Turkish decisions on Russian oil purchases are made by private companies, not authorities.” — Alparslan Bayraktar

The European Parliament aims to accelerate the phase-out of Russian oil and gas, but not Turkey.

Turkey's energy strategy reflects a complex balancing act between securing energy supplies and navigating geopolitical pressures. As Turkey seeks to diversify its energy sources, its ongoing reliance on Russian gas and oil raises critical questions about its energy security and international obligations. The situation underscores the broader implications of energy dependencies in a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape.

“Trump bluffs, but pipelines don’t bend”: Taiwan emerges as top buyer of Russian naphtha in 2025 with $1.3B imports as Modi and Jaishankar defy Trump’s G7 pressure, insisting India’s energy security i