Türkiye is negotiating with the United States for a sanctions waiver that would allow it to continue using Russia's Gazprombank to pay for gas imports.
Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar told reporters that without the exemption, “we will not be able to pay Russia.” “If we cannot pay, we cannot buy goods,” he added.
Mr Bayraktar's comments add to tensions between Washington and the rest of Europe still buying Russian gas over sanctions announced last week on Gazprombank.
Russia's Gazprombank has previously avoided Western sanctions imposed over the conflict in Ukraine because of its key role in facilitating energy payments.
Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar stressed the importance of the waiver for Türkiye, citing precedent for waivers on sanctions related to Iran.
Russia is Türkiye's largest gas supplier, supplying about 42% of the country's gas imports last year, according to regulatory data.
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 will find a way to continue the flow of Russian gas.
Türkiye and Russia want to establish a gas hub in Türkiye, including the possibility of laying additional gas pipelines across the Black Sea.
In addition to gas, Türkiye depends on Russia for crude oil, with about half of its crude oil imports coming from Russia. Türkiye also has a nuclear power plant under construction by Russian nuclear power company Rosatom.
