The US is increasingly limiting Russia's ability to trade oil and gas resources, and this policy is beginning to show results. Notably, Turkey, a key energy player, has significantly decreased its imports of Russian gas in recent years.
Over the past 20 years, Turkey's dependence on Russian gas has dropped from 60% to 37%. Now, Turkey plans to cut these supplies even further. Following clear signals from the US, Ankara signed LNG import contracts with US companies worth around $43 billion. At the same time, Turkey is developing its own gas production and building LNG infrastructure. By 2028, the country aims to deliver up to 26 billion cubic meters of domestic gas and import significant volumes of LNG.
These steps threaten Russian pipeline routes (“Blue Stream”, “TurkStream”), posing major losses for Gazprom. Turkey’s influence is also growing as it seeks to become an energy hub for Europe and the Middle East, sourcing from Azerbaijan and potentially Iraq.
After the US elections and Trump’s win, pressure on Turkey increased, leading Ankara to further reorient its energy strategy. While infrastructure is still being upgraded and some Russian contracts remain, Turkey is poised to significantly shift the regional energy balance by the decade’s end.
Such transformations further isolate Russia: Turkey’s economic support decreases, limiting resources for the ongoing war. The West, meanwhile, continues to actively work on reducing Russian influence in the global energy market.
