Turkey just handed Russia the keys to its energy future, and NATO should be very worried. Russia’s state-owned Rosatom is building Turkey’s first nuclear power plant under a deal that gives Moscow complete control. This is not just about electricity – it’s about Putin gaining a strategic foothold inside NATO territory.
The Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant will cost around $25 billion and sit right on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast. Russia owns everything and will run the entire operation. Turkish officials get zero say in how their own nuclear plant operates, which is absolutely insane for any sovereign nation.
What makes this even worse is where Russia chose to build this plant. The facility sits dangerously close to America’s Incirlik Air Base and a major oil terminal. Putin now has Russian technicians and security personnel stationed right next to critical US military assets.
Turkey’s President Erdogan keeps calling this “Turkey’s nuclear plant,” but that’s a complete lie. Russia controls every aspect from construction to fuel supplies to maintenance staff. The Turkish government even gave up their right to buy shares in the project after sitting on their hands for 15 years.
This deal proves that Turkey is drifting away from its NATO allies and straight into Putin’s arms. When your supposed ally lets Russia build and operate nuclear facilities on their soil, you have a serious problem. Turkey is becoming more dependent on Moscow every single day.
The timing couldn’t be worse with Russia’s war in Ukraine still raging. While America and our European allies are trying to isolate Putin, Turkey is giving him exactly what he wants – influence and control inside NATO. This undermines everything we’re fighting for against Russian aggression.
Turkey now owes Russia $7 billion for this project and can’t even pay their bills on time. When you owe Putin money and depend on his nuclear plant for power, you’re not really independent anymore. You’re just another country under Russian influence.
NATO leaders need to wake up and realize that Turkey is no longer the reliable ally it once was. Having Russian-controlled nuclear facilities inside NATO borders is a national security nightmare that puts all of us at risk.
