Turkey sends Russian oil to the EU, passing it off as its own
16.05.2024 - 10:11
Russia earned three billion euros thanks to a loophole in Western sanctions. Turkey sends oil from the Russian Federation to the EU under the guise of its own.
Turkey relabels Russian oil and sends it to the EU. Russia earned three billion euros from this scheme, Politico reports.
These publications indicate that Russian oil enters the EU through Turkey legally and in large volumes.
A loophole in the sanctions allows “mixed” fuel to be imported into the EU if it is labeled as non-Russian.
A year before the introduction of the embargo on Russian oil and oil products, Russia earned up to three billion euros just by using the three ports of Turkey — Ceyhan, Marmara-Ereglisi and Mersin.
Until February 24, 2022, three quarters of crude oil and 40% of diesel fuel came to the EU from Russia. After the introduction of the embargo, Turkey began to increase the import of fuel from Russia and, at the same time, to increase exports to EU countries.
Thus, from February 2023 to February 2024, Turkey increased its purchases of Russian fuel by 105% compared to the previous year. Exports from Turkey to the EU increased by 107% during this period.
Read also: Turkey and Brazil increased imports of Russian fuel
