MEM: Russia and Turkey: a conflict of influence
Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent visit to Ankara put the finishing touch to an economic partnership making Turkey, according to the CEO of Russian energy company Gazprom, a "pipeline" for gas exported to southern and central European countries. This has happened following the abandonment of the South Stream gas link project because of the economic sanctions imposed by the European Union on Russia and Bulgaria's refusal to extend the pipeline. The authorities in Moscow also plan to accelerate the removal of Ukraine as a transit country for about 50 per cent of Russia's gas exported to Europe.
Russia killed two birds with one stone through its new partnership with Turkey. It is easing the financial losses it suffered due to the cancellation of the South Stream project by using the completed phases of the pipeline to transport gas through Turkey instead of Bulgaria. It has also been able to deal a blow to its opponents in Kiev by depriving Ukraine of the revenues it would have had from acting as a gas transit country as well as the preferential price it would have been given, vital for its deteriorating economy. In addition, the move allows Russia to prevent Ukraine from having a decisive role in gas exports.
This may encourage Russia to take more punitive political steps against Kiev, coinciding with the developments in eastern Ukraine, where the majority-Russian speaking population is rebelling against the government. It has to be remembered that relations between Russia, the US and the EU play a pivotal role in escalating or mitigating the political measures taken against the Ukrainian government; the Kremlin is treating the Ukrainian crisis as a geopolitical conflict with the West located at the heart of Russia's interests, imposing balanced actions in order to avoid being cut off from Kiev completely.