Turkey's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar stated that the commissioning of the TurkStream gas pipeline has effectively protected the republic from regional energy risks.
"We have two main gas pipelines coming from Russia: TurkStream and Blue Stream. The concept of TurkStream first emerged in 2016. In a very short time, our leaders demonstrated firm resolve on this matter. This is the second pipeline reaching us through the Black Sea. Since the 1980s, we had been receiving 14 billion cubic meters of gas through a transit pipeline crossing Ukraine, Moldova, Romania and Bulgaria. If something had happened in any of those countries, a conflict would have arisen between the supplier and the transit nation. War broke out in 2022. Can you imagine what we might be facing right now?" the minister pointed out.
He noted that with the implementation of the TurkStream project, the gas delivery route through the Balkans was essentially relocated to the Black Sea. "Currently, Hungary and Ukraine are practically in a state of war. Ukraine is not allowing the oil pipeline to connect with Europe. Yet, back then, we took a crucial step by diversifying our supply chain, even though there was no war or anything of the sort at the time," the minister said.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: IlyaYurukin/PxHere
Based on materials from TASS