Europe Fears Russian Gas Could Keep Flowing into the EU via Turkey through Covert Channels

Turkey could become a “gateway” for the covert import of Russian gas into the EU after its complete ban. The European Truth cites a Politico article as the source of this news. Ankara’s unwillingness to support the EU’s plan to completely abandon Russian energy resources by the end of 2027 raises fears of its shadow imports into Europe through Turkey. Owing to its geographical location, Turkey is a transit hub for energy supplies to the EU. Brussels plans to tighten control on Russian gas entry points into the EU as it moves to phase out Russian energy, requiring data from transit states. Commenting to Politico, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said EU sanctions are “a matter for the EU,” stressing that unilateral measures “create risks for economies and increase energy concerns for all.” Ankara added it will only enforce sanctions approved by the UN Security Council. Against this backdrop, there are concerns that Turkey will remain a gateway for covert imports of Russian gas to Europe after 2027. “Turkey’s restraint in complying with European monitoring provisions may pose challenges to the effective application of the proposed law, particularly given Turkey’s growing role as a transit country and potential hub for Russian gas,” said Finnish Green MEP Ville Niinistö, one of the leaders of the project in the European Parliament. “If Turkey is reluctant to cooperate fully on monitoring and transparency, EU member states will lack the information needed to verify the origin of gas coming from its territory,” he added. As a reminder, the European Commission has unveiled a roadmap to end imports of Russian gas by the end of 2027 and minimize Russian oil imports. Hungary and Slovakia oppose the plan. According to media reports, France and Belgium, the two largest buyers of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG), also have certain reservations.