Türkiye, Slovakia, Hungary get US waiver extension for Russian gas

Türkiye, Slovakia and Hungary have received extensions from the United States to waivers for gas payments to Russia, according to reports, which said the extensions would be valid until May.

In November, Washington imposed new sanctions over the Ukraine conflict on Russia’s Gazprombank, one of the country’s largest banks which receives payments for natural gas from Gazprom’s customers in Europe.

Türkiye, along with Hungary and Slovakia, received a U.S. waiver in December, removing a major hurdle to paying for the gas they receive from Russia via the TurkStream gas pipeline.

Gazprombank was the largest remaining Russian bank not previously blocked by the U.S. Treasury. It is partially owned by Kremlin-owned gas company Gazprom.

Reuters and Bloomberg reported the extension for Türkiye and Slovakia, citing unnamed sources.

Türkiye’s Energy and Natural Resources Ministry declined to comment, while Türkiye’s Treasury and Finance Ministry and Slovakia’s Economy Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto confirmed on Friday Hungary had received the extension from the U.S.

Speaking in Ankara via a translator, Szijjarto also said Hungary is in talks with the Turkish state-owned pipeline operator BOTAŞ to purchase natural gas directly from Türkiye in 2025.

Türkiye and Hungary receive Russian gas via the TurkStream pipeline under the Black Sea.

Türkiye imports almost all its gas requirements, and Russia is the top supplier, providing around half of the country’s pipeline imports.

Russia has faced a barrage of sanctions from Western countries in response to its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, including an oil price cap designed to curb the Kremlin’s revenues.

Energy supplies have been particularly in focus after Moscow’s transit deal with Ukraine, through which around half of the Russian gas was supplied to Europe, expired on Dec. 31.

Since the end of Ukraine’s transit, Slovakia has had to rely on supplies from Hungary, but its main gas importer SPP said in February that Gazprom had begun supplying it again, using volumes given up by Hungary on the TurkStream pipeline.