The United States and Turkey are reportedly discussing the possibility of US companies building nuclear reactors in Turkey. This is seen as part of an effort to help Ankara move away from Russia, at the same time as Russia’s state-owned nuclear monopoly, Rosatom, is building a nuclear energy plant in Turkey at Akkuyu. While Washington looks like it is dangling the possibility of cooperation in front of Ankara, Congress is preparing legislation that would sanction Rosatom that could also push the administration to impose sanctions on Turkish entities as well. Andrea Stricker, a research fellow and deputy director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Nonproliferation and Biodefense Program, joins Thanos Davelis to look into these reports, and break down how this legislation could complicate US-Turkey ties.
You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:
U.S. Considers Nuclear Cooperation With Turkey as Congress Tees Up Sanctions
Turkey, US in talks on nuclear plant projects, Turkish official says
Mitsotakis on CNN: Europe cannot rely only on US for defense