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Putin proposes 'gas hub' plan to Turkey's Erdogan

October 14, 2022

The Turkish president said his government would quickly start working on plans for the project — despite facing criticism from fellow NATO members over his relations with Russia.

https://p.dw.com/p/4I8ws
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Astana, Kazakhstan
Erdogan has maintained relations with Putin despite the war in UkraineImage: Murat Cetinmuhurdar/Turkish Presidential Press Office/REUTERS

We might consider building yet another gas pipeline system: Vladimir Putin

Russian PresidentVladimir Putinhas put forward Turkey as a potential hub forRussian gasto third parties, including Europe.

During a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of a security conference in Kazakhstan, Putin also suggested setting up a natural gas exchange market in Turkey to determine prices, according to the Interfax news agency.

"We could consider building another gas pipeline and creating a gas hub in Turkey for sale to third countries, especially in Europe," Putin said.

On Friday, Erdogan said he ordered his government to quickly present their implementation plans, saying that the hub "will be an international distribution center."

What is the Turk Stream pipeline?

According to Putin, more gas could be piped to Europe via Turkey through the Turk Stream pipeline. This is "currently the safest supply route," he said.

The Turk Stream pipeline, which runs through the Black Sea and Turkey to southeastern Europe, is currently the only pipeline that still supplies significant quantities of Russian gas to Europe.

However, the Kremlin said TurkStream cannot be a replacement for the Nord Stream pipelines through the Baltic Sea, Russian media reported Thursday.

Erdogan announced plans to develop the agreement on exportinggrainand fertilizer from Russia through Turkey to supply "developing countries."

Airstrikes on Ukraine: How far will Russia go?

How NATO partners have reacted to Turkey's relations with Russia

Under Turkish and UN mediation, an agreement had been negotiated in July to allow the export of Ukrainian and Russian agricultural products.

Erdogan has highlighted, though, that most of the supplies since then have gone to wealthier countries.

Amid criticism from Turkey's NATO partners, Erdogan has defended hiscooperation with Moscow since Russia invadedUkrainein February.

Russia and Turkey's cooperation "will certainly be resented by some, but developing countries will certainly be happier," Erdogan said of his dialog with Putin.

The United States and the European Union had recently increased pressure on NATO member Turkey to join their sanctions against Russia over itsattack on Ukraine. Erdogan, on the other hand, argues that Turkey, as a neutral actor, could help obtain a possible cease-fire between Kyiv and Moscow. 

jsi/rt (dpa, AFP)