Description: Turkish Energy Minister, Alparslan Bayraktar, has announced Turkey’s plans to leverage existent and potential oil and gas partnerships. Bayraktar outlined Bulgaria, Libya and Iraq as potential markets where Turkey could import oil and gas from which would ultimately end on the European market. Europe has been in a constant pursuit of gaining energy independence from Russian oil and gas ever since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which puts Turkey in an advantageous position to broker energy deals from countries tapped to the vast potential of the Middle East and the Black Sea. The Trans – Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline is a considerable strategic advantage for Turkey which could bring gas from Azerbaijani deposits to European markets. Bayraktar concluded by mentioning the exploitation of Syria’s oil deposits since the countries rekindled relations with the new regime which focuses on Syria’s reconstruction in unstable conditions.
Impact: Turkey’s recent strategic actions stipulate the country’s global geopolitical repositioning as a facilitator between the energy – rich Middle East and Asian markets and Europe. Turkey has recently concluded oil, gas and other natural energy agreements with countries such as Turkmenistan and Pakistan which complemented their ambitions to become the sole energy hub Europe needs in order to replace dependence from Russia’s energy infrastructure. Potential risks could stem from the domestic political crisis which resulted in massive protests against the arrest and imprisonment of the former Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu which emerged as the most prominent oppositionist for incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkey’s near direct confrontation with Israel over Syria’s internal power dynamics could also impose a severe risk in light of the country’s strategic ambitions which could stifle Turkey’s aspirations in the region and especially towards the European energy markets.