Ankara: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday blamed Europe’s power disaster on sanctions it imposed on Russia over the invasion of Ukraine — a line taken by means of the Kremlin itself.

Erdogan has maintained excellent operating family members with Russian President Vladimir Putin whilst seeking to keep impartial within the war and supplying Ukraine with Turkish guns and fight drones.

He informed journalists prior to departing for a three-nation swing throughout the Balkans that Eu countries have been “harvesting what they sowed” by means of implementing financial restrictions on Russia.

“Europe’s perspective against Mr Putin, its sanctions, introduced Mr Putin — willingly or now not — to the purpose of claiming: ‘In the event you do that, I will be able to do this,’” Erdogan stated.

“He’s the usage of all his manner and guns. Herbal gasoline, sadly, is one in every of them.”

Erdogan’s feedback echo the ones expressed by means of the Kremlin this week.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday blamed Russia’s halt of gasoline deliveries to Germany by means of the Nord Movement pipeline on “sanctions that have been imposed towards our nation”.

Russia accounted for almost part of Turkey’s personal herbal gasoline purchases remaining 12 months.

Turkey pledged to slowly transition to paying for the Russian imports with rubles at a summit between Erdogan and Putin in Sochi previous this month.

Analysts imagine the deal will make certain that Russia will proceed to provide Turkey with gasoline throughout the TurkStream pipeline working below the Black Sea.

Erdogan stated he didn’t be expecting Turkey to enjoy any power shortages this 12 months.

“I feel Europe could have critical problems this wintry weather,” Erdogan stated. “We do not need any such scenario.”

The spike in world power costs led to by means of Russian provide disruptions has stoked an financial disaster in Turkey that has observed annual inflation jump to 80 p.c and the lira plunge in price.