Erdogan Says Turkey to Expand Nuclear Ties With Russia

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday that Turkey plans to expand nuclear cooperation with Russia, building additional power plants beyond the ongoing Akkuyu project. Russia's state-run Rosatom is nearing completion of the Akkuyu nuclear plant on Turkey's Mediterranean coast, whose four reactors are expected to supply roughly 10% of Turkey's electricity once operational. The announcement signals deepening ties between Ankara and Moscow even as Russia's war in Ukraine continues, a development likely to alarm Western allies already uneasy about Turkey's balancing act between NATO membership and its relationship with the Kremlin. The expansion raises fresh questions about energy dependence on Russian technology within a NATO member state.