Türkiye poses a serious challenge to Russia
Turkey prepared in advance for the current Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict by reducing its energy dependence on Russia to a minimum.
Political scientist Igor Mintusov stated this today at a round table in Moscow, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“I would like to recall the preparations for the strategic alliance between Azerbaijan and Turkey over the past year. What is meant? In May and June, Erdogan stopped Blue Stream and Turkish Stream. In the first half of 2020, Russia supplied 41% less gas than in the same months of 19. Türkiye replaced Russian gas with raw materials from Azerbaijan.
Currently, Baku holds about a 24% share in gas supplies to the Turkish market. And Russia, which occupied 30% just a couple of years ago, ended up in fifth place. Now the main strategic gas supplier for Turkey is not Russia, but Azerbaijan. Turkey refused Russian Urals oil, which was supplied to the oil refinery,” Mintusov said.
He believes that Turkey's goal is to fight with Russia for influence in Transcaucasia.
“In the conditions of open, active and including military support that Turkey, apparently, will provide to Azerbaijan, Russia as a peacemaker will have no choice but to more actively support Armenia with military resources in order to maintain balance. And this function of Russia is now subject to a very serious threat, and it could all end with Turkey becoming a strategic player equal to Russia in the space of the former Transcaucasian republics of the Soviet Union,” Mintusov said.
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