Turkey talks with U.S. and Russia about sanctions waivers on energy imports

Turkish officials said that Turkey was in talks with both the United States of America and Russia to try and secure a waiver from U.S. Sanctions so it could continue paying Gazprombank in order to import Russian natural gas.

The United States has imposed new sanctions against Russia's Gazprombank last week as President Joe Biden intensifies his efforts to punish Moscow for its invasion in Ukraine before he leaves the office in January.

Turkey imports nearly all of its gas requirements and Russia is its top supplier, providing over 50% of its pipeline imports.

Alparslan Bayraktar, Turkish Energy Minister, referred to an earlier waiver granted to Ankara by Washington when Washington sanctioned Iran. He said that Turkey needed something similar to ensure supply from Gazprombank.

"These sanctions will impact Turkey. If we can't pay, we won't be able to buy goods. Bayraktar, a reporter late Monday night, said that the foreign ministry was in talks.

Separately an official from Turkey said that representatives of the Turkish, Russian, and trade, finance, and foreign ministries, as well as the central banks, met on Monday in order to discuss this U.S. decision and its impact on the bilateral energy trade.

The official requested anonymity because the discussions were private.

Officials confirmed that Turkey had begun talks with U.S. counterparts prior to the announcement of the Gazprombank sanction, as Washington normally announces its actions first and then offers exemptions. He said, "They are working to resolve this issue." (Reporting by Huseyin Haatsever, Editing by Jonathan Spicer & Dare Butler)

(source: Reuters)