Turkish Energy Minister Alp Arslan Bayraktar said on Sunday that his country will receive a portion of the diesel quantities that Russia will import to global markets, according to an agreement reached with US President Donald Trump.
Bayraktar pointed out that the diesel supply agreement between America and Russia is of great importance to Turkey's energy security.
Ankara depends on Russia to meet part of its energy needs, in addition to its dependence on Iran, Azerbaijan and other countries, while it is currently seeking to diversify its sources by concluding agreements with America and other partners.
Bayraktar said, in television statements: “Russia imposed restrictions on diesel exports in recent months when it began to face this problem. Now, I have reached an agreement on diesel with Trump... and through the conversations we had, we will get a portion of this diesel for Türkiye’s benefit.”
The minister did not provide further details.
This agreement was met with sharp criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, European officials, and some Republican politicians from Trump's own party.
Bayraktar also stated that Turkey plans to operate a second floating platform for gas production in the first quarter of 2028, explaining that this platform will raise Turkey’s total daily production in the Black Sea to 45 million cubic meters.
On Saturday, Türkiye sent the first floating gas production platform, called “Osman Ghazi”, to the Black Sea.
According to Bayraktar, this step is expected to double the daily production from the largest local gas field, the Sakarya field, to reach 20 million cubic metres, up from the current level of 9.5 million cubic metres.
The minister said: “In the first quarter of 2028, the second floating platform will arrive in Türkiye, and through it we will be able to produce 25 million cubic meters. This platform has a slightly greater production capacity than the Othman Ghazi platform.”
He added: “Therefore, with a production of 45 million cubic metres, we will be able to meet the needs of 3 out of every 4 homes in Türkiye using our local gas.”
He explained that Turkey's daily production from the field will rise to 550,000 barrels of oil equivalent with the entry of a second floating platform into service.
Türkiye is one of the largest gas markets in Europe, as its consumption reached 59 billion cubic meters last year.
Bayraktar stated that the planned hydrocarbon exploration operations off the coast of Pakistan have been postponed for about 6 months. This is due to the repercussions of the Iran war.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to visit India for the second time this year, at a time when Washington is seeking to strengthen its relations with a strategic partner, despite months of tension over a trade agreement.
Rubio will meet senior officials in India, but will not visit the Indian capital during his trip next week.
Instead, he will focus on the areas of investment and energy through visits to the financial center “Mumbai” and the city of Jamnagar. The center of India's oil industry, which includes billionaire Mukesh Ambani's refining complex.
Experts believe that the most prominent issue is the inability of the two countries to conclude the long-awaited trade agreement.
Several factors contributed to the complexity of the negotiators' task, including the reciprocal tariff campaign launched by US President Donald Trump, disagreements over energy imports, and Washington's rapprochement with Pakistan.
According to the US State Department, Rubio will begin his 6-day foreign tour on Sunday, where he will first visit Uzbekistan before arriving in India.
Last February, India and the United States agreed on a framework for a temporary agreement, under which Washington would reduce its customs duties from 25 to 18 percent, in exchange for India reducing duties on a group of industrial and agricultural goods.
Despite months of negotiations, the agreement has not been finalized or signed yet.
One reason is the “legal uncertainty” surrounding Trump’s tariff plans, after legal challenges undermined the reciprocal duties that formed the basis of that agreement.
India is also concerned about new trade measures by Washington that may affect it, including an investigation into alleged unfair practices in several countries, and a new law allowing tariffs of up to 100 percent on countries that buy Russian oil.
On Friday, Trump signed an executive order exempting countries from those looming sanctions.
It appears that progress in the negotiations has faced several obstacles. Last June, the US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gore, said that negotiators were working on finalizing the agreement. But recently, the tone has become noticeably more cautious.
The agriculture sector remains a sensitive area for India, which is reluctant to expose its farmers to more foreign competition. In return, Washington wants India to increase its purchases of American energy supplies.
Acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez said that her country expects oil investments of about $76 billion over the next five years, according to recently signed agreements.
She explained that the bilateral agreement with the United States includes plans to operate 250 drilling rigs.
Since the overthrow of President Nicolas Maduro last January, the country has begun reopening the energy sector to foreign investments, with support from the administration of US President Donald Trump.
Rodriguez said, in statements on national television on Saturday evening, that these investments will bring direct benefits to Venezuela and its partners at the same time, noting that the bilateral agreement with the United States covers 17 oil fields.
Rodriguez also highlighted the recovery of oil production in the western state of Zulia. She stated that production there increased from 70,000 barrels per day to 370,000 barrels per day, adding that it is expected to reach 400,000 barrels per day by the end of the year.
