Turkey is holding up a €27 billion NATO pipeline project, demanding funding
Turkey has blocked approval of a 27-billion-euro project to modernize NATO’s military pipeline network, seeking priority funding for its own plans. This was reported by Politico, as cited by “European Truth.”
According to two Alliance diplomats who wished to remain anonymous, Ankara did not approve the agreement during a meeting of 32 NATO representatives last week. This occurred despite a preliminary compromise reached by Alliance countries earlier this month.
Turkey insists that 21 projects on its territory be considered for expedited funding. According to the diplomats, without this, Ankara will not agree to give the proposal the “green light.” One of Politico’s sources stated that Turkey is seeking to push its own projects at the expense of other allies’ more advanced plans.
The agreement is intended to expand the Cold War-era pipeline network from Western Europe to new NATO member states in the east and north. The project is part of the Alliance’s broader efforts to prepare for a potential war with Russia.
At the NATO leaders’ summit in Ankara, Alliance Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that the agreement is inevitable. “While allies continue to work out the details, we know that this €27 billion investment will modernize our existing fuel storage and distribution infrastructure,” he told reporters.
Previously, NATO countries had disagreements over the cost of the initiative, which diplomats call the most expensive jointly funded project in the Alliance’s history. According to one diplomat, Ankara’s position could delay the agreement until September, when NATO ambassadors reconvene after the summer break.
