Türkiye continues to play a major role in ensuring Europe's energy security through key natural gas transit projects linking the Caspian region to European markets, said Türkiye's energy and natural resources minister on Wednesday.
"Türkiye is playing a very major role for energy security of Europe with pipelines that bring a lot of gas from the Caspian Sea to all the way to Europe, to Italy," Alparslan Bayraktar said during a panel discussion titled Global Energy Markets: The Transformation of Relations and Balance of Interests at the Russian Energy Week forum in Moscow.
Responding to a question on relations with Europe, Bayraktar said the TurkStream pipeline continues to be central to Europe's energy security.
"But again, you need two to tango," he added. "So you need to also have a similar approach from the European side, but again, like the oil side, gas side, on the power side, we would like to increase the interconnection capacity between Türkiye and Europe."
"So, there are so many things that can be done, but this requires a strong political will and commitment," he said.
- Rational energy mix key to balancing security, cost, and climate
Bayraktar echoed these views in a post on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal.
Bayraktar noted that as geopolitical balances shift rapidly and energy supply ties are being redefined, energy policy has become not only an economic tool but also a strategic and diplomatic instrument.
"We said that the balance between energy supply security, competitive prices, and climate targets can be achieved through the rational use of nuclear energy, renewable sources, energy efficiency, and natural gas as a transition fuel," Bayraktar added.
He noted that through its multidimensional energy diplomacy, Türkiye is not only strengthening its own energy security but also helping turn a market of competing interests into one that generates mutual benefits by deepening regional energy cooperation.
"In the transformation of global energy relations, Türkiye will continue to play a constructive, forward-looking and balancing role in building fair, inclusive and sustainable balances," he added.
By Handan Kazanci
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr