In the video shared by a Twitter account on October 15, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, “We will now only give gas to Turkey.” allegedly said.
Turkish Stream is Discussed on the Energy Agenda
One dimension of the war between Russia and Ukraine, which has been going on since February 2022, is shaped over energy and commodity resources and supplies. Russia uses its energy trump card against the European continent, which mostly depends on it for natural gas resources. Finally, after the Nord Stream Line, one of the continent’s important natural gas supply channels, lost its function and the repair process was delayed, the Turkish Stream Line started to be talked about as the most suitable option to re-transmit gas to the European Union. Erdogan and Putin, who met in Astana on October 13, 2022, brought the issue back to the agenda and made statements about making Turkey a natural gas hub.
Soon, a manipulated video circulated on social media with allegations that Vladimir Putin had given a speech on the subject. In the fast-spreading video, Vladimir Putin is seen making a statement during Energy Week 2022.
What Did Vladimir Putin Say at Energy Week?
Screenshots from the video and a search with keywords show that the event was held on October 12-14, 2022, with Vladimir Putin giving a speech. The full text of the speech shared in the allegations is available on the Kremlin’s official site. The original text of Putin’s speech does not include the phrases mentioned in the subtitles. Putin’s statement on Turkey, Turkish Stream and Nord Stream Lines at Energy Week 2022 is as follows:
“The lost amount that cannot be shipped over the North Stream Line can be turned into the Black Sea by changing the direction. We can send natural gas to Europe via Turkey. If our partners also want, we will establish a large natural gas distribution center in Turkey on behalf of Europe.”
As claimed in the subtitled images spreading in Turkey; “We do not intend to work with Western companies until 2025. Domestic production will continue. In this sector, 80% of the manufacturing belongs to us. The stupidity of Western companies was to challenge us. The Russian market is now closed to them. They’re done. The gas we produce will definitely be sold. The world market will now turn to the Turkish Stream Project. We will only supply gas to Turkey. I fully support the Turkish Stream Project. I will transfer 14 billion cubic meters of gas to the Mavi Marmara Stream. Westerners, now let them think. I will carry all the gas I have from the bottom of the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. If the West wants something, their interlocutor is now Turkey. Now whoever wants gas will go and buy it from Turkey. Turkey will become Europe’s largest natural gas hub. It’s okay for me, we’ll see what happens this winter. I do not recognize international currency for delivery and payments. We will be paid in our own money, in rubles. For China, which will help with the transportation, there will be a payment in yuan. Anyone who wants gas from us will pay in rubles, that’s all.” His statements are not included in Putin’s speech.
Additional evidence that these expressions are fabricated is the fact that these expressions were never included in the domestic and foreign news contents of the conversation. Although a natural gas distribution center is planned to be established in Turkey after the Nord Stream Line’s failure, the establishment of a gas supply center in Turkey in the future does not mean that gas will be supplied only to Turkey.
The claim is WRONG
In the video shared by a Twitter account, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s speech “we will now only give gas to Turkey.” allegedly said. The subtitles in the video, which is a section of Putin’s speech within the scope of Energy Week on 12-14 October 2022, were fabricated. The full text of Putin’s speech is available on the Kremlin’s official website. The text does not include the statements made in the allegations. Although a natural gas distribution center is planned to be established in Turkey after the Nord Stream Line’s failure, the establishment of a gas supply center in Turkey in the future does not mean that gas will be supplied only to Turkey.
