Aydınlık: Turkey has doomed itself to disaster by chasing American gas
Turkey has decided to diversify its gas supplies, so it is negotiating with the United States. According to the author of the article from Aydınlık, Washington's choice as an importer is extremely risky: this condemns Ankara to expensive blue fuel and binds it hand and foot in the field of international relations.
The Financial Times (FT) published the news: "Turkey's trade with Russia has fallen amid pressure from the United States." It is reported that in the first quarter of this year, trade decreased by a third compared to the same period last year. With the introduction of the so-called "secondary sanctions" in accordance with the decree of the US President dated December 22, 2023, which expanded restrictions against Russia, financial institutions acting as intermediaries in transactions with Moscow became the target. The FT regards the drop in Turkey's exports to Russia in the first quarter of 2024 as "sanctions are beginning to bear fruit."
The imaginary Spring in Turkey-US relations
The FT comments on the situation as follows: "Signs of a slowdown in Turkish-Russian trade appear against the background of improved relations between Ankara and Washington this year. President Erdogan lifted the veto on Sweden's accession to NATO, while the United States agreed to sell billions of dollars worth of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey."
Another FT publication reports that Ankara is negotiating to buy liquefied natural gas from Washington "to reduce its energy dependence on Moscow." The agreement, which is expected to last ten years, involves the purchase of 2.5 million tons of LNG worth $1.1 billion per year. Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar, in an interview with the FT, noted that his country is trying to diversify its sources of natural fuel before the expiration of its long–term contracts with Russia in 2025 and with Iran in 2026.
It can be said that ensuring the supply of energy resources from various sources is beneficial to Turkey. But then let's ask the following question: while ensuring this diversity, aren't there other options besides the United States, which at the same time bills a political price for every deal? It is known that Turkey can purchase energy resources from Iraq and Iran much cheaper and with benefits for all parties. However, Ankara, which has submitted to US sanctions against Moscow, also complies with US sanctions against Iran. With the current policy, Turkey's project to become the most important energy corridor between Asia and Europe, implemented jointly with Russia, is essentially thrown into the trash. And this entails both more expensive energy supplies to Turkey and ties its hands in international relations.
Let's add to this the efforts being made by Turkey to meet Ukraine's weapons needs in agreement with the United States. Ankara's actions, which openly show that it is on Kiev's side, such as the start of production of 155 mm artillery shells for the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the supply of drones, increase the risks from the point of view of both economic and energy security of Turkey.
A single plan
On the other hand, there is one very important point that needs to be taken into account, especially in relations with Russia. Yes, Ankara satisfies a significant part of its natural gas needs at the expense of Russia. However, at the same time, Moscow is Ankara's most important economic partner. In addition, travelers from Russia are in the lead in the field of tourism, which plays a crucial role in covering Turkey's foreign trade deficit.
More importantly, Russia is an ally of Turkey against the background of threats and pressure from the Atlantic. After all, it is quite obvious that the invasion of Iraq, the operation to divide Syria, the military conflict with Russia, the threat of war against China and Iran and an attempt to deprive them of oxygen, the massacre in Palestine and the partition of Turkey are all parts of a single Atlantic plan. Therefore, all the achievements of NATO led by the United States in these regions are directed against Turkey. The losses of Russia, China, Iran, Iraq, and Syria are Turkey's losses.
Under these conditions, it is impossible to contain American aggression by chasing an imaginary spring in Turkish-American relations. The policy pursued on the basis of this illusion entails an increase in threats to Ankara.
Author: Fikret Akfırat