Event “Türkiye-EU energy ties at a crossroads: in between the gas hub vision and renewable energy development”

Registration

Date: Tuesday, 17 June 2025
Time: 10h00 - 15h00

Venue: FES EU Office, Rue du Taciturne 38, 1000 Brussels

Please register here.

-Expert discussion, Chatham House rules apply-

Conference language: English

Draft programme

09.30 – 10.00 Registration and coffee

10.00 – 10.10 Welcome by Claudia Detsch, Director of FES Just Climate Competence Centre

10.10 – 12.00 Panel 1: “Türkiye's energy hub vision in the context of regional geopolitics: between structural challenges and strategic opportunities”

Türkiye's existing infrastructure - the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline, five LNG terminals, three floating storage units, and two underground storage facilities among others - provides a solid starting point for its vision. Moreover, as Russian gas stopped flowing through the Ukrainian transit at the end of 2024, Türkiye's importance as a regional energy hub has increased. In 2024 total transportation via the TurkStream pipeline that directly connects the largest gas reserves in Russia to the Turkish gas network and further transported to southeast Europe reached a 23% increase year-over-year. However, Türkiye's ambitions face challenges in the context of the EU's energy security dilemma and climate-neutrality targets. Europe's demand for gas is expected to decline beyond 2030, implying a certain limitation of its long-term reliance on fossil fuel infrastructure. Additionally, Turkey's role as a gatekeeper of gas supplies to the European market raises potential security implications. The Turkish government is willing to maintain and potentially expand its energy relationship with Russia. Nevertheless, at the special European Council meeting in April 2024, European heads of government highlighted that the EU has a “strategic interest in a stable and secure environment in the Eastern Mediterranean and in the development of a cooperative and mutually beneficial relationship with Türkiye”. Therefore, within this context, the key questions arise: how practical is Türkiye's ambition in the first place, considering its current economic outlook that might affect the investment capacity that is needed? What are the common interests of both partners – Türkiye and the EU – in the energy field? What are the prospects of further collaboration: will we see an enhancement of this energy relationship, or on the contrary, a decline in the next couple of years, as the geopolitical shifts are still ongoing? Balancing these factors will be crucial in determining Türkiye's future role in European energy security.

Speakers:

• Tibor Stelbaczky, Principal Adviser on Energy Diplomacy, European External Action Service - tbc
• Mühdan Sağlam, Energy Analyst and Corporate Media Officer, Turkey Economy Policies Research Foundation (TEPAV)  
• Simone Tagliapietra, Senior Fellow, Bruegel - tbc
• Kadri Tastan, Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the German Marshall Fund Brussels Office - confirmed

11.20 – 12.00 Q&A session with audience

12.00 – 13.00 Lunch break

13.00 – 15.00 Panel 2: “Leaving the fossil fuels behind: what are the prospects of EU-Türkiye cooperation in renewables and cleantech development?”

In light of the ongoing geopolitical shifts and considering that the EU remains committed to its climate-neutrality target, the landscape of energy cooperation with its partners is rapidly evolving. Türkiye, long considered one of the key energy transit hubs for natural gas, now has the opportunity to multiply its potential in renewable energy. With the EU's commitment to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 and Türkiye’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2053, there is an opening for the EU-Türkiye energy relations to shift from fossil fuels import to deepening the cooperation on renewable energy and clean energy technologies. Türkiye has signaled its ambition already in this sense: by 2035, the country plans to quadruple the current capacity of renewable energy generation and launch 90,000 MW of new renewable capacity, along with a new transmission grid, upgraded infrastructure, a new investment of approximately $108 billion and a new reform process, according to the government’s vision for its energy transformation over the next 11 years. Despite these ambitious goals, Türkiye currently remains heavily reliant on fossil fuel imports, while also projecting the aspiration to become a regional energy hub for the transportation of gas into Europe. How feasible is the prospect of deepening the EU-Türkiye cooperation in this area? The establishment of the EU-Türkiye High-Level Dialogue on climate and clean technologies back in 2022 is an important step in the right direction. Nevertheless, what concrete measures must be implemented in this sense? How can the EU support the country in the further development of its renewable energy potential? What are the challenges, as well as the strategic opportunities for engagement? And ultimately, what would this projected shift towards renewables mean for the entire region in light of the ongoing geopolitical shifts?

Speakers:

• Isaac Valero, Head of Unit International Relations, DG ENER, European Commission - tbc
• Francesco Siccardi, Deputy Director, Carnegie Europe - tbc
• Bengisu Özenç, founding director of the Sustainable Economy and Finance Research Association (SEFİA)
• Ebru Voyvoda, Professor, Department of Economics, Middle East Technical University

14.15 – 15.00 Q&A session with audience

end of event

If you have question on the content part please contact Reghina Dimitrisina at FES (Reghina.Dimitrisina(at)fes.de)
and on the logistical part please contact Silke Lang at FES (Silke.Lang(at)fes.de) .

Background

Türkiye is one of the key players in the energy geopolitics of Eurasia. It links Europe to energy-rich countries in Central Asia, the Middle East, and the Eastern Mediterranean regions. The geopolitical developments over the past years have made Europe actively diversify its sources of energy supply, which in theory positions Türkiye as a strategic player in the EU's energy security paradigm. However, how feasible and long-lasting is this vision? On one hand, Türkiye aims to become an energy hub that will connect Europe with other suppliers when it comes to natural gas. On the other hand, the country is also working on its renewable energy capacity by announcing new reforms and investments in this direction. In some way, Türkiye is at the crossroads trying to balance between the two different models. In this context, how to balance the EU’s energy needs with Türkiye's long-term vision? What are the expectations from both sides? And ultimately, where do the strategic opportunities lie for both partners in a turbulent geopolitical environment? Our experts will address these points in further detail.