Turkey's Erdogan signals further nuclear projects with Russia

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ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkey is planning to expand its nuclear cooperation with Russia to build more power plants, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday.

The signal of deepening ties with Russia is likely to raise concerns among Western allies, who have been worried by Ankara’s closeness to Moscow as the war in Ukraine rages.

Rosatom, a Russian state corporation, is close to completing the Akkuyu nuclear power station on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast. Its four reactors are expected to generate around 10% of Turkey’s electricity when it comes online.

“The Akkuyu nuclear power plant is of great importance in Russia-Turkey relations. We are now in the final stages,” Erdogan said as he sat next to Russian President Vladimir Putin following a one-on-one meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Kyrgyzstan.

He added that, with Russia, Turkey “will take steps together to open some new power plants, along with the opening of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant.” His remarks were reported by Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency.

Erdogan also described relations between the two countries as being “at a much more advanced level today than in any previous period.”

Putin, meanwhile, referred to Turkey as “one of our privileged partners.”

Turkey is dependent on energy imports, with around 70% of its energy needs being met by foreign sources.

Turkey’s Russian imports were valued at $42.37 billion last year, according to United Nations international trade figures. Energy accounted for $29.8 billion.