Türkiye’s BRICS Bid Goes Nuclear: Potential Second Plant With Russia Cements Strategic Alliance
As Türkiye progresses towards realising its nuclear and gas hub ambitions, its strategy reflects a complex calculus to maintain the flexibility to benefit from both Eastern and Western alliances.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, once again displaying his often-criticised balancing act between his Western and Eastern alliances, attended the BRICS summit this year in late October, formally applying to join the bloc. Although he did not secure membership by the end of the summit, reports surfaced of discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the establishment of a second Russia-sponsored nuclear power plant in Sinop, along Türkiye’s Black Sea coast.
The transcontinental country has long maintained a neutral, sometimes Russia-leaning stance, despite being NATO’s second-largest member and a candidate for EU accession.
Türkiye is solidifying its Eastern alliance by joining BRICS and attempting to position itself as a central energy hub in the region. Türkiye has also announced plans to become a logistics superpower by 2053, seeking to capitalise on his country’s position as a bridge between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. This aligns with Erdogan’s dream of making Türkiye a superpower.
Nuclear ambitions
Türkiye aims to generate 7,200 megawatts of nuclear power by 2035, according to Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, who has noted that without nuclear energy, Türkiye is unlikely to meet its 2052 net-zero target.
Earlier this year, Bayraktar revealed that the Russian state-run nuclear corporation Rosatom was “ahead” in the bidding process for the Sinop plant, citing positive experiences with the company in previous projects. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov echoed this, saying that both Türkiye and Russia would benefit if Moscow were awarded the contract to build the planned Sinop Nuclear Power Plant.
Both countries are already engaged in the $20 billion, 4,800-megawatt Akkuyu nuclear power plant in Mersin. With its four reactors, this project will position Türkiye among the select group of nations with civilian nuclear energy capabilities.
Signed in 2010, the Akkuyu agreement led to construction beginning in 2013, which picked up pace in 2018. Initially scheduled to go online in 2023, delays have pushed back the first reactor’s start date to next year, with the remaining reactors to come online by the end of 2028. Complications arose when Siemens Energy in Germany withheld key components, prompting Rosatom, the builder and owner, to source the parts from China instead. This shows how BRICS is building a global energy ecosystem that can be largely shielded from western sanctions.
Türkiye aims to harness nuclear power to fulfill a significant portion of its energy needs, insulating itself against future uncertainties with the West. Siemens’ withholding of parts demonstrated how energy can be weaponised, reinforcing Türkiye's determination. The Sinop plant alone is projected to provide around 10% of the country's electricity needs.
Türkiye’s pursuit of dual integration into BRICS and the Abraham Market is aided by its plan to secure its place among regional players advancing their nuclear capabilities, such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, the UAE, Egypt, Qatar, and others.
Beyond nuclear energy, Türkiey is using its closer links with Russia on nuclear Energy to advocate for its gas hub proposition, leveraging its unique geographical location to control gas flows between producers and European markets. Talks with Russia to establish a gas trading hub in Istanbul, expected to launch by 2025, are part of this effort.
Bypassing sanctions
In August, the US State Department sanctioned companies in Türkiye, the UAE, and other countries suspected of aiding Russia in evading Western sanctions on its energy sector, prompting Erdogan to call for an end to them in the following month.
Türkiye’s role in enabling Russian entities and individuals to bypass Western restrictions has been unmistakable, especially with the rise of wealthy Russians acquiring Turkish citizenship. Under Türkiye’s real estate investment program, which grants citizenship for property purchases worth at least $400,000, Russians have emerged as top foreign buyers, outpacing other nationalities like Iranians and Iraqis over the past two years. This influx not only brings economic benefits to Türkiye but also strengthens its relationship with Russia, offering Moscow an economic and diplomatic lifeline.
As Türkiye progresses toward realising its nuclear and gas hub ambitions, its strategy reflects a complex calculus: maintaining enough flexibility to benefit from both Eastern and Western alliances while ensuring that its energy policy protects against potential disruptions.
Also read
 | A guest post by
|