Turkey is negotiating with the US on a sanctions exemption, allowing the country to continue using Russia's Gazprombank for payments when importing gas.
Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar told reporters that if there were no exemptions, we would not be able to pay Russia. "If we can't pay, we can't buy goods," he added.
Bayraktar's comments heighten tensions between Washington and the rest of Europe that are still buying Russian gas over sanctions announced last week on Gazprombank.
Previously, Russia's Gazprombank has avoided Western sanctions related to the conflict in Ukraine because it plays an important role in supporting energy payments.
Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar stressed the importance of a exemption for Turkey, citing a previous exemption for sanctions related to Iran.
According to the regulatory agency's data, Russia is Turkey's largest gas supplier, providing about 42% of the country's gas imports last year.
Hungary - a European country that also imports a lot of Russian gas - has criticized the US sanctions on Gazprombank, saying the move endangers energy security.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said after talks in Istanbul with regional energy ministers, including Bayraktar, that countries in the region would find ways to continue the flow of Russian gas.
Turkey and Russia want to set up a gas hub in Turkey, including the possibility of installing additional pipelines across the Black Sea.
In addition to gas, Turkey depends on Russia for crude oil, with about half of its crude oil imports coming from Russia. Turkey also has a nuclear power plant under construction by Russian nuclear power company Rosatom.
