Turkey reduced purchases of Russian oil after new Western sanctions

Turkey’s largest refiners have started buying more non-Russian oil following the latest sanctions against Russia by the United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom. The new restrictions have affected the energy policy of Ankara, which is one of the key buyers of Russian crude.

This is reported by Reuters .

According to sources, the two largest Turkish refiners — SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR) and Tupras — have revised their procurement structure and started increasing imports from Iraq, Kazakhstan and other suppliers not related to Russia.

The STAR refinery, owned by Azerbaijan’s SOCAR, recently purchased four shipments of non-Russian oil for delivery in December. Analysts estimate that this amounts to between seventy-seven thousand and one hundred and twenty-nine thousand barrels per day.

Previously, Russian oil provided almost all of STAR’s supplies — about 210,000 barrels per day in September and October, according to Kpler.

Another major player, Tupras, is also increasing imports of non-Russian grades that are similar in quality to Urals oil. Sources said the company may completely stop importing Russian raw materials at one of its plants in order to maintain the ability to export fuel to Europe without violating new EU sanctions.

At the same time, Tupras will continue to refine Russian oil at its other plant, maintaining a balance between economic feasibility and the requirements of international restrictions.

Earlier, Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said that Ankara would not stop purchasing Russian oil and gas, despite demands from US President Donald Trump . He stressed that the government cannot leave citizens without fuel on the eve of winter and does not intend to dictate to private companies from whom to buy energy resources.

Recall that the European Union is preparing for a complete embargo on Russian gas, which will come into effect at the end of 2027. But already now, member states are looking for ways to close all possible loopholes through which energy from Russia can enter Europe.

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