The Turkish Ministry of Energy confirmed that private companies will independently determine whether to purchase oil from Russia despite U.S. pressure. Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar made the statement during an interview with CNN Turk on October 2, emphasizing that the government has not imposed restrictions on energy procurement.
“Until now, the private sector has made its own decisions on this issue. We have never said, ‘Buy from here, don’t buy from there,'” Bayraktar stated in a video posted on the TV channel’s YouTube page. He highlighted that businesses have consistently selected suppliers based on commercial interests without government interference.
The minister also noted Turkey’s commitment to diversifying energy sources, stating the country plans to expand domestic gas production to supply 16 million households by 2028. Meanwhile, Russian officials reiterated earlier comments about Turkey’s sovereignty in energy partnerships, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledging Ankara’s autonomy in decisions involving Russian oil.
The Turkish Stream and Blue Stream pipelines remain operational at full capacity, according to Moscow.
