The United States and European Union are unlikely to force Turkey to stop buying Russian oil, Politico reported.
“Turkey, as a major purchaser of Russian energy through the TurkStream pipeline linked directly to Moscow’s supply system, has shown no interest in cutting itself off from a source of cheap energy,” the article states.
It adds that “Brussels has little leverage to persuade Turkey, which is not an EU member, to forgo tens of billions of dollars’ worth of Russian energy imports annually.” Recent calls by US President Donald Trump urging NATO allies to halt Russian oil imports are also unlikely to change the situation.
The Washington Post previously noted that Turkey remains one of Russia’s key oil customers and seeks to maintain Kremlin ties despite the political environment.
On September 13, Trump said he was ready to impose harsh sanctions on Russia if all NATO members acted together and stopped buying Russian oil. He remarked that ongoing energy imports by some NATO allies have “weakened the alliance’s negotiating position.”
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: skeeze/Pixabay
Based on materials from TASS