Russia Warned of Imminent Loss of Another Gas Market 0 58

Changes in Turkey's energy policy may deprive Russia of its last major gas market in the western direction. This is stated in a report by Reuters.

The author notes that by the end of 2028, the republic will begin to cover more than half of its gas needs through its own production and imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States.

This direction is also being pushed by U.S. President Donald Trump, who insists on reducing purchases of Russian energy resources, which he believes will accelerate the resolution of the conflict in Ukraine. He has personally suggested to Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to minimize cooperation with Gazprom.

Russia remains the largest supplier of gas to Turkey, but its share has fallen from 60 percent two decades ago to 37 percent in the first half of 2025. Ankara may begin to revise its cooperation soon, as the contracts for gas supplies through the Blue Stream and Turkish Stream are nearing their end.

According to the agency's estimates, LNG imports from the U.S. will reduce Turkey's gas needs from 53 billion cubic meters per year to 26 billion. This is significantly less than the current supply volume from Russia, Iran, and Azerbaijan, which totals 41 billion cubic meters combined.

This is not just a matter of intentions; Turkey has already signed several agreements for LNG supplies with American companies worth $43 billion. Moreover, its LNG receiving capacity is 58 billion cubic meters, meaning that if desired, the republic could completely do without pipeline supplies.

The report notes that the country is unlikely to completely abandon gas purchases from Russia, as having an additional supplier allows for achieving lower prices. However, the conditions for Gazprom are unlikely to be comparable to those currently in place.