Turkey, a NATO member, has begun to partially pay for Russian natural gas imports in rubles, and the process is expected to accelerate in the coming months, Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Donmez said, as quoted by Interfax.

“For almost 5-6 years, both leaders (not Presidents Putin and Erdogan) have always expressed their intention to pave the way for trade in national currencies. At the moment, the process is a little accelerated, an agreement was reached at our last meeting,” Donmez said in an interview with Turkish television TRT Haber.

“In this sense, of course, it is necessary to carry out some technical work. Ruble trading has partially started. We will see this a little more intensively in the coming months. There is a consensus on this issue from both sides,” he said.

“Of course, the fact that this is happening with national currencies will also reduce countries’ need for other foreign currencies,” the Turkish minister added.

Rubles and Russian gas in Turkey

Speaking about the prospects of creating a gas hub in Turkey, the plan announced by Erdogan and Putin on October 20, the Minister of Energy of Turkey said that the implementation of such a project would make it possible to set a much more favorable, competitive price. to meet the needs of Europe.

“We have a pipeline that goes to the border with Iraq. This could be a new alternative. Again, if we’re looking at LNG (liquefied natural gas), we have a lot of flexibility. The countries of the Persian Gulf, namely the UAE, Qatar, and Oman, can send gas here, such negotiations are ongoing,” he added.

Donmez also said that gas for the hub could also come from the Mediterranean Sea, recalling that Turkey already has contracts with Algeria and Libya, and that “gas from Egypt and Israel could also come if the relevant conditions are met.”

He also stated that the countries of southeastern and eastern Europe periodically turn to Turkey with a request to ensure the supply of gas.

“We will gather them at the table again (…) By the end of the year, we will draw up our own road map. Perhaps we will organize an international gas conference in January-February, where we will gather both producers and consumer countries,” said Fatih Donmez.

Erdogan personally stated that Turkey will pay for Russian gas in rubles

Vladimir Putin suggested Turkey build an energy hub that would also import Russian gas on Oct. 12 after explosions damaged the Nord Stream pipeline in the Baltic Sea in late September.

Just two days after Putin’s public proposal, Turkish President Recep Erdogan ordered his government to begin construction on the gas hub, even though a formal agreement with Russia has yet to be reached.

Several European countries, including France, condemned the Russian-Turkish plan, and the Elysee Palace said it made no sense as the EU seeks to reduce its dependence on Russian gas.

Since August, Recep Erdogan has personally stated that Turkey will pay for Russian gas in rubles, although it is not on the list of “unfriendly countries” to which Putin stated this.

PHOTO article: Dreamstime.com.