Erdogan says Europe “reaps what it has sown” in face of energy supply problems

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed Tuesday that the EU response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine has caused Europe to have serious energy supply problems, so now it is “reaping what it has sown”.

“(We) have no problem with natural gas. Europe reaps what it sows. I believe that Europe is going to spend this winter with serious problems,” the Turkish leader stressed from the Esenboga airport in Ankara, before leaving for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Erdogan stressed that “Europe’s attitude” towards Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as the European Union sanctions against Moscow, have caused the Russian leader to “oppose” the community club and take measures against it, as reported by the Anatolia news agency.

Russia has decided to cut off gas to Europe through the Nord Stream pipeline indefinitely. This was announced by the gas monopoly Gazprom, which justified the shutdown due to oil leakage problems in the only active compressor unit.

With regard to Turkey, it should be recalled that the Turkish government announced in early August, during a visit by Erdogan to Russia, its intention to pay for part of its Russian gas imports in rubles.

While Turkey expressed its opposition to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it has so far refrained from joining the U.S. and European sanctions against Russia to facilitate a “mediating” role in the crisis.

Russia has also provided Turkey with much-needed foreign currency liquidity by transferring billions of dollars to a subsidiary of Turkey-based Russian nuclear operator Rosatom to complete construction of a power plant on the Mediterranean coast.