Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSign up ISTANBUL, Sept 6 (Reuters) – Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that Russia was cutting gas flows to Europe in retaliation for sanctions, adding that Europe was “reaping what it has sown”. Fears in Europe have grown for a potentially bleak winter after Russia announced it was keeping its main natural gas pipeline to Germany shut. Russia has indefinitely halted flows through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline and cut or shut off supplies to three of its largest gas pipelines to the west since the start of its invasion of Ukraine on February 24. Oil supplies have also been redirected eastward. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSign up “Europe is indeed reaping what it has sown,” Erdogan told reporters in Ankara on Tuesday, adding that the sanctions had prompted Putin to retaliate using energy supplies. “Putin is using all his means and weapons and the most important of them is natural gas. Unfortunately – we would not like this but – such a situation is developing in Europe,” Erdogan said. “I think Europe will face serious problems this winter. We don’t have such a problem,” he added. NATO member Turkey has sought to strike a balance between Moscow and Kiev, criticizing the Russian invasion and sending weapons to Ukraine, while opposing Western sanctions and continuing trade, tourism and investment with Russia. Turkey, which shares Black Sea borders with both Russia and Ukraine, has said the inclusion of sanctions against Russia would hurt its already strained economy and said it was focusing on mediation efforts. Moscow blames the equipment maintenance shutdown caused by Western sanctions on cutting off the flow of natural gas through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline. European countries call it nonsense, accusing Russia of rigging energy supplies in retaliation for Western sanctions imposed on Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSign up Reporting by Ali Kucukgocmen Editing by Alexandra Hudson Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
