The fallout from the Turkish downing of a Russian jet last month is growing ever more dangerous, with even the seemingly untouchable energy sector now apparently the latest casualty of increasingly chilly ties between Ankara and Moscow. On Wednesday, Reuters reported that construction work had been halted at the $20 billion Russian-led Akkuyu nuclear power plant in Turkey, which was meant to be the culmination of Ankara’s half-century quest to develop nuclear energy. Akkuyu’s apparent woes come just days after Turkey and Russia froze the Turkish Stream natural gas pipeline that was at the heart of the two countries’ “strategic partnership” unveiled one year ago.
The freezing of Turkish Stream comes barely a year after the South Stream pipeline got cancelled. For the second time Gazprom is confronted with a possible write-off of major investments. The company increasingly finds itself caught in the crossfire of Putin’s foreign policy endeavors says Sijbren de Jong to Foreign Policy Magazine.
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