Europe imports Russian oil products via Türkiye, avoiding sanctions

arecent reportsA study by the Center for Energy and Clean Air Research (CREA) and the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD) found that the European Union (EU) imports €3 billion worth of oil products from Turkish ports, which mainly handle Russian oil. It became clear. A port without a refining hub.

This trade effectively circumvented EU/G7 sanctions on Russian oil products.

Since the EU/G7 petroleum products embargo came into force on 5 February 2023, by the end of February 2024, the EU will have exported 5.16 million tonnes of petroleum products worth €3.1 billion from the Turkish port of Marmara Elerisi, Ceyhan. was procured. , Mersin. Because these ports lacked refining capacity, they imported 86% of their oil products from Russia during this period, turning Turkey into an important re-export hub.

Türkiye’s imports of Russian oil have soared nearly fivefold over the past decade. By 2023, Turkey will become the world’s largest buyer of Russian oil products, importing 18% of Russia’s total exports. This dependence increased from 52% in 2022 to 72% in 2023, indicating a deepening dependence on Russian refined products such as diesel, gasoline, and jet fuel.

Investigations by CREA and CSD suggest that European companies may have been importing Russian oil products that were mixed or re-exported from storage terminals in Turkey. An example is the Toros Ceyhan oil terminal, which received 26,923 tons of gas oil from Novorossiysk in May 2023 and subsequently shipped the same amount to the Greek Ministry of Health Corinth refinery. The deal exploits a loophole in the law to allow mixed Russian petroleum products to flow into the EU.

The rerouting of Russian oil through Turkey not only avoided sanctions but also provided Russia with significant tax revenue, estimated at 5.4 billion euros, to support the war effort in Ukraine. To address this, CREA and CSD recommend strengthening EU legislation, enforcing strict rules of origin and inspecting shipments to prevent further sanctions evasion.

Written by Julianne Geiger, Oilprice.com

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