Turkey’s Erdogan signals further nuclear projects with Russia

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Tuesday that Turkey plans to expand its nuclear cooperation with Russia, with the aim of building additional power plants. This move is likely to heighten concerns among Western allies, who have been wary of Turkey's close relationship with Russia amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

The Akkuyu nuclear power station, built by Russia's state corporation Rosatom, is nearing completion on Turkey's Mediterranean coast. Once operational, the four reactors are expected to generate approximately 10% of Turkey's electricity. Erdogan, speaking alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Kyrgyzstan, emphasized the significance of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant for the bilateral relationship.

He also stated that Turkey and Russia will jointly take steps to open new power plants, following the successful completion of Akkuyu. Erdogan described the current level of relations between the two nations as being "much more advanced" compared to any previous period. Putin referred to Turkey as "one of our privileged partners."

Turkey relies heavily on energy imports, with around 70% of its energy needs met by foreign sources. In 2025, Turkey's imports from Russia, valued at $42.37 billion, comprised $29.8 billion in energy alone.