The US has signed a 20 -year agreement with the US Mercuria (LNG) from the US, Energy Minister Alpslan Bayraktar said on Wednesday, as the president is pushing for Europe to stop Russian energy markets.
The deal comes before the meeting of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan with Trump on Thursday.
What about Russia supplies?
Russia is Turkey’s largest natural gas importer, although Ankara has changed in recent years. The new agreement is one of the many that closed this month before the end of this year the gas import agreements worth at least 16 billion cubic meters with Russia.
The European Union plans to prohibit the imports of Russian LNG to the Union by the end of 2026, as part of the latest sanction package against Moscow, as Trump is pushing it to play a more powerful role in the contribution to the end of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Turkey has not yet agreed on new supply agreements with Russia. Russia supplied 40% of Turkey’s 52 BCM gas imports last year. The US was Turkey’s fifth largest supplier, slightly behind Algeria, providing 10% of gas imports.
They want to increase the volume of trade with US
Botas State Energy Company signed the deal to New York during Erdogan’s visit, agreeing the annual supply of 4 BCM LNG to Turkey since 2026, with a total supply of approximately 70 BCM.
Supplies will come from US loading stations and re -George, Europe and North Africa.
“This agreement will significantly contribute to the goal of increasing the volume of trade with the US to $ 100 billion,” Bayraktar said, adding that the agreement aims to boost supply security and differentiation of Turkey’s energy sources.
And other agreements from Botas
Botas also signed a long -term preliminary agreement on LNG with Woodside Energy, Australia’s leading gas producer, according to a Turkish Ministry of Energy.
This agreement provides for the supply of about 5.8 BCM LNG to Botas for nine years, starting in 2030, mainly from Woodside’s LNG project in Louisiana. Botas is responsible for oil and gas infrastructure and Turkey’s natural gas trade. Mercuria is one of the largest energy and freight groups in the world.
Energy agreements come as Turkey is moving to improve its links with Washington. On Monday, Ankara said it lifted the retaliation duties imposed in 2018 on a series of US imports, including passenger cars and fruit. The decision was regarded as a gesture of goodwill in view of Erdogan’s meeting with Trump.
