Turkey: Despite U.S. Request, We Will Continue Buying Gas from Russia

According to the English section of webangah News Agency, citing Mehr News Agency and Russia Al-Youm, Turkey’s Energy Minister ⁢said that⁤ despite Washington’s calls to cut ⁢energy imports from Russia, Turkey will continue ‌buying natural gas from Moscow.

Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump‍ claimed that Turkey⁤ is prepared to ⁢stop purchasing oil ⁤from ‌Russia.

Speaking to reporters at the White House regarding whether Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had agreed ‍to halt Russian oil imports, Trump said, “I ⁣don’t ⁣wont to say this,⁤ but if⁤ I wanted to, he would do it.”

Trump added,‌ “I think ‌he⁣ can stop⁢ [importing Russian oil].​ You know why? Because he can buy from many others.”

Alongside India and China, Turkey⁤ remains one of the largest customers ‌of‌ Russian oil ‌and gas. Data show ‌that the ⁢volume of gas exported this year from Russia to Turkey-and afterward⁣ into Europe-has increased by more than⁤ 26 percent.