ANKARA: Frustrated by Russian incursions into Turkish airspace last week during the Syrian campaign, President Erdogan warned Moscow that Turkey could get gas from countries other than the one building its first nuclear plant. But the numbers show it won’t be easy.
“We are Russia’s number one natural gas consumer. Losing Turkey would be a serious loss for Russia. If necessary, Turkey can get its natural gas from many different places,” Erdogan was quoted as saying by Turkish daily Sabah.
These are matters for Russia to think about. If the Russians don’t build the Akkuyu (nuclear plant) another will come and build it,” he added.
But life without Russian gas may be easier said than done.
In 2014, Turkey imported 27.3 billion cubic meters of gas from Gazprom, which amounts for nearly 60 percent of Turkey’s gas consumption. Turkey is Gazprom’s second biggest market after Germany. Russian gas is transported to Turkey via the Blue Stream pipeline which runs under the Black Sea and via the Trans-Balkan pipeline across Ukraine.
