Turkey Urges Russia & Ukraine to Protect Energy Infrastructure Amid Black Sea Attacks; Advocates Uninterrupted Flow

Turkey Calls for Protection of Energy Infrastructure Amid Ukraine War

Turkey has issued a strong appeal to both Russia and Ukraine, urging them to spare critical energy infrastructure from the ongoing conflict and ensure the uninterrupted flow of energy. This plea comes from Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, following a series of alarming incidents off Turkey's Black Sea coast.

Bayraktar emphasized that all parties involved must safeguard energy assets from the ravages of war. "We need to keep the energy flows uninterrupted," he stated, specifically highlighting the importance of protecting routes like the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) pipeline.

Black Sea Incidents Escalate Shipping Risks

The minister's remarks follow recent attacks, including a Ukrainian seaborne drone strike on two empty tankers near a Russian port. Ukraine has acknowledged responsibility for this incident, which targeted Russia's oil exports in retaliation for attacks on its own power grid. However, Kyiv has denied involvement in a separate event where a Russian-flagged tanker carrying sunflower oil reportedly came under drone attack.

Ankara, a NATO member maintaining diplomatic ties with both Kyiv and Moscow, has expressed its concern over these escalating risks. Attacks on Russia-linked vessels in proximity to Turkey are deemed "unacceptable," and the issue was a key point of discussion at a recent NATO meeting. Russian President Vladimir Putin has responded by threatening to cut off Ukraine's access to the sea and vowed to intensify assaults on Kyiv's facilities.

The heightened tensions have significantly impacted Black Sea shipping. Insurance rates have soared, and at least one Turkish company has paused its Russia-related maritime operations due to security fears after one of its vessels was damaged. The CPC pipeline, a crucial conduit for over 80% of Kazakhstan's oil exports, briefly ceased operations after a Ukrainian drone attack damaged a mooring at its Black Sea terminal. This disruption has prompted Kazakhstan to reroute more crude oil through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, which Bayraktar confirmed continues to supply substantial amounts of oil to global markets.

Discussions on Ukraine's Gas Supply Needs

Beyond calls for de-escalation, Turkey is also engaging with Ukraine on its energy needs. During a recent visit to Ankara, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy discussed securing gas supplies with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. Minister Bayraktar confirmed that Ukraine sought assistance for gas provisions, similar to an existing arrangement with Greece. Discussions are underway between Turkey's state energy company, BOTAS, and Ukraine's Naftogaz to explore how Ankara can facilitate Kyiv's energy security, leveraging Ukraine's substantial underground storage capacity for winter reserves.