Bloomberg reports that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he discussed gasoline prices with Russian President Vladimir Putin and expressed hope for a price cut on purchases. Erdogan stated that the topic of gasoline pricing was raised during the talks with Putin and that he hopes for more affordable rates for Turkey.
He also noted that Turkey does not face any disruption to gas supplies from Russia, pointing out that Ankara has not imposed sanctions on Moscow.
According to Erdogan, it is a fortunate situation that Russia has not imposed sanctions on Turkey. He added that his discussions with Putin touched on price expectations and that if Putin responds positively, Turkish citizens could benefit from lower prices.
Erdogan outlined a domestic strategy aiming to secure cheap gas for Turkish residents by 2023 through the development of domestic energy resources. The plan includes a roughly 10 billion dollar investment to expand the Sakarya field in the Black Sea, where estimated reserves reach 540 billion cubic meters.
He stressed that these reserves would primarily support the domestic economy rather than be directed toward exports.
During the remarks, Erdogan warned of potential winter challenges for European nations amid the ongoing energy crisis. He suggested that the European Union will incur substantial costs and attributed Europe’s energy problems to actions against Moscow, stating that Europe reaps what it sows.
In mid-August, Fatih Donmez, Turkey’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced that Ankara would not participate in sanctions against Moscow in the energy sector. Donmez noted that Turkey bought about 60 billion cubic meters of natural gas in 2021 and aimed for a similar figure in 2022.
The energy crisis in Europe has taken shape in response to sanctions aimed at Russia over the Ukraine conflict, affecting oil, coal, and gas flows. In August, the European Union agreed on a plan to reduce gas consumption by 15 percent by March 2023.
Grain for Turkey
Erdogan also discussed the possibility of asking Putin to initiate Russian grain shipments through a corridor for supply to Turkish ports, with plans to coordinate deliveries in a way that reaches vulnerable regions and supports African countries in need, according to Erdogan.
He asserted that Moscow has not sent Russian goods through the corridor to poorer nations, instead directing shipments to developed countries, and emphasized the importance of addressing hunger in Africa by accelerating assistance once grain begins to flow.
During a session at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on September 7, Putin indicated that Russia would push for the food deal to improve general world-market conditions rather than primarily aiding Europe. He claimed that efforts were made to form and sustain the agreement, but accused others of failing to honor their commitments while also mentioning hardship for the poorest countries under the pretext of negotiations.
Putin also signaled a willingness to discuss limiting the export of grain and other food from Ukraine to Europe if it does not reach poorer nations. Of 87 ships departing Ukrainian ports, 32 head to Turkey, 30 to the European Union, seven to Egypt, three to South Africa and Israel, and two to Yemen and Djibouti under United Nations programs.
On July 22, Istanbul hosted a package of documents to address food and fertilizer supplies for world markets. One agreement governs the export of grain from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, while a coordination center in Istanbul coordinates grain vessels to prevent arms smuggling, with involvement from Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the UN.