Key facts
- Turkey's crude oil imports from the US reached approximately 570,000 tonnes in June, exceeding Russia's 425,000 tonnes.
- Since August, Turkey has imported over 120,000 barrels per day of Indian diesel and 90,000 bpd of US diesel.
- Ukrainian drone and missile strikes have targeted Russian oil refineries.
- Russia implemented a ban on diesel exports in July.
- The US has lobbied Turkey to decrease its energy purchases from Russia.
Turkey is increasingly sourcing crude oil and refined products from the United States, as Russian supplies face disruptions due to Ukrainian attacks on energy infrastructure. In June, the US became Turkey's largest crude oil supplier, delivering approximately 570,000 tonnes compared to Russia's 425,000 tonnes. This shift signifies Ankara's effort to reduce its dependence on Russian energy following the invasion of Ukraine.
Beyond crude oil, Turkey has also increased its diesel imports from the US and India. Energy analytics firm Kpler reported that since August, Turkey has imported over 120,000 barrels per day of diesel from India and 90,000 bpd from the US, marking record volumes since 2017.
Several factors are contributing to Turkey's changing energy import patterns. The administration of US President Donald Trump has actively encouraged Ankara to boost its purchases of American energy. Concurrently, Russia's energy sector has been significantly impacted by Ukrainian drone and missile strikes, which have hit major oil refineries, leading to domestic shortages of refined petroleum products.
In response to these strikes, Russia banned diesel exports in July. The US-led actions against Iran have also reportedly disrupted supplies to Turkish refineries from other traditional sources like Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the UAE.
During President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to the White House in September 2025, the Trump administration lobbied Turkey to reduce its energy imports from Russia. A former US official indicated at the time that Turkey was more likely to shift away from Russian oil than gas, given the prevalence of long-term pipeline contracts for the latter.
In 2024, Russia supplied 41 percent of Turkey's gas imports. These gas imports, facilitated by favorable payment terms, are crucial for powering Turkey's manufacturing sector and mitigating high inflation. Turkey has also utilized the TurkStream Pipeline to facilitate Russian gas exports to European markets, circumventing sanctions. Last December, Turkey extended its existing Russian gas import contract by a year.