Turkey complains Russian gas too expensive in possible discount bid
"This could also be a bargaining message to Moscow: offer a better price or lose more market share," Isaac Levi, an energy policy analyst with the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), told the Kyiv Independent.
Turkey intends to reduce its reliance on Russian gas, according to Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, who cited cost as the primary reason during a presentation of Turkey's National Energy 2040 plan on November 5, according to media reports. Bayraktar's assertion that Russian gas is excessively expensive has not been publicly verified.
The Energy Minister's comments could be interpreted as a strategic message to Russia, suggesting that Ankara may seek a lower price or risk losing market share. Isaac Levi, an energy policy analyst at the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), suggests that Turkey's increased purchases of American liquefied natural gas (LNG) may bolster its position with Washington, while maintaining the possibility of continuing Russian gas imports.
The International Energy Agency's (IEA) report on Turkey's energy situation in 2026 indicates that imported energy constituted 11% of the country's GDP in 2022. By 2027, Russia is expected to lose a significant client as EU regulations prohibit both pipeline gas and LNG imports. The IEA report reveals that Turkey's energy dependence on Russia is substantial, with natural gas alone accounting for over a quarter of total energy supply in 2024.
Moreover, Russia supplied over half of Turkey's oil imports in 2024 and has been the primary coal supplier since 2022. The IEA predicts that the Akkuyu nuclear power plant, jointly developed by Turkey and Russia, will operate for 60-80 years.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Independent's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
