Turkey continues to purchase Russian oil and gas despite US requests, - Bloomberg
Turkey remains one of the largest buyers of Russian oil and gas, while expanding long-term agreements for LNG imports and seeking alternative energy sources.
This was reported by Censor.NET with reference to Bloomberg.
Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar explained that the purchase of Russian oil is a commercial decision made by private companies and refiners, and the state does not directly interfere in this process. He added that Turkish oil refineries were originally built to process raw materials from nearby sources, so purchases from Russia are technical and commercial in nature.
Bayraktar also stressed the need to secure gas supplies for the country ahead of winter and to purchase it from various suppliers, including Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkmenistan. At the same time, Turkey is actively diversifying its supplies, in particular through long-term LNG contracts with the United States.
The situation may change with the resumption of oil exports from northern Iraq after a two-year hiatus, made possible by an agreement supported by the US. Turkiye Petrol Rafineleri AS and Star Rafineri AS (Socar) remain the main buyers of Russian oil in Turkey.
