US Demands Turkey Halt Russian Gas Imports Amid Dependence Concerns

WISE NEWS PRESS / WASHINGTON D.C., UNITED STATES — NOVEMBER 13, 2025

The United States administration has directly urged Turkey to cease its energy purchases from Russia, according to a report by the US-based news agency Bloomberg. During high-level talks in Washington, US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly raised the issue with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. Citing diplomatic sources, Bloomberg alleged that the US side delivered an explicit message to Fidan: "Stop buying gas from Russia."

Fidan’s official response to this demand was not disclosed in the report.

Strategic Test Over Energy Reliance

The report highlighted Turkey's deep reliance on Russia for its energy supply, suggesting that the demand from Washington poses a strategic challenge for Ankara. Bloomberg analysts commented that this request could create "potential difficulties in the coming period" for Turkey.

Turkey meets only about $5\%$ of its total natural gas needs through domestic production, relying heavily on imports. Official data shows that in the January–August 2025 period, $62.6\%$ of Turkey’s total oil imports and $45\%$ of its natural gas imports originated from Russia.

Energy Traffic on the Ankara–Washington Line

Bloomberg recalled that the meeting took place shortly after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with US President Donald Trump in Washington. Following the Trump–Erdoğan talks, Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar, announced that Turkey and the US had signed a $43$ billion energy deal.

Bayraktar had previously addressed criticism regarding Turkey's energy policy, stating, "Do I need energy? Yes. I buy from whoever sells it cheaper."

Russia Remains a Key Supplier

Turkey continues to maintain strong energy ties with Russia. The term for one of the two major natural gas agreements between the two countries, the Blue Stream pipeline, expires this year, and energy experts anticipate a new agreement between Ankara and Moscow.

Russia is the primary source for Turkey’s imported petroleum derivatives and ranks as the third-largest natural gas supplier after Europe and China. US President Donald Trump has consistently criticized countries dependent on Russian gas, including Turkey, Hungary, and India, for "indirectly financing the war in Ukraine."

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