Turkey’s Erdogan signals further nuclear projects with Russia

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Tuesday that the nation intends to expand its nuclear cooperation with Russia, with the goal of constructing additional power plants. The most recent development in this relationship comes after Erdogan met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Kyrgyzstan.

Erdogan highlighted the significance of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant, located on Turkey's Mediterranean coast. The plant is nearing completion and is anticipated to contribute approximately 10% of Turkey's electricity upon completion. Both Erdogan and Putin emphasized the importance of this partnership, with Putin referring to Turkey as "one of our privileged partners."

Turkey's energy needs are primarily met through imports, with around 70% of its energy requirements being sourced from abroad. In 2022, Turkey's imports of Russian energy totaled $42.37 billion, with energy accounting for $29.8 billion of that figure. The expansion of nuclear cooperation with Russia could potentially address some of Turkey's energy demands.