
Russia Abandons Idea of Turkish Backdoor to Europe's Gas Market
Russia's Gazprom PJSC has quietly shelved plans to develop a new gas distribution hub in Turkey, closing the door on a potential opportunity to regain a foothold in European markets lost since the invasion of Ukraine.
With the Nord Stream pipelines to Germany out of action and gas transit through Ukraine set to expire in 2024, Gazprom had been studying Turkey — already connected to two major Russian pipelines — as a way back into Europe, which used to be its largest export market. But after months of considering options, the company concluded it wasn't viable and has largely halted the work, said people familiar with the matter.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Russia drones hit Kharkiv and other parts of Ukraine, killing 2
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian forces launched a large-scale drone assault across Ukraine overnight Wednesday, killing two people and wounding 60 more, Ukrainian officials said. Eighty-five Shahed-type drones and decoy UAVs targeted the northeastern city of Kharkiv and other areas, the Ukrainian Air Force said. Air defense systems intercepted 40 of the drones, and nine more were lost from radar or jammed. One of the hardest-hit areas was Kharkiv, where 17 attack drones struck two residential districts, according to Mayor Ihor Terekhov. 'Those are ordinary sites of peaceful life — those that should never be targeted,' Terekhov wrote on Telegram. Two people were confirmed killed and at least 60 injured, including nine children aged between 2 and 15, according to regional head Oleh Syniehubov. Emergency crews, municipal workers and volunteers worked through the night to extinguish fires, rescue residents from burning homes, and restore gas, electricity and water service. The strikes also caused widespread destruction in the Slobidskyi and Osnovianskyi districts, hitting apartment buildings, private homes, playgrounds, industrial sites and public transport. Images from the scene published by Ukraine's Emergency Service on Telegram showed burning apartments, shattered windows and firefighters battling the blaze. Kharkiv has been targeted frequently in recent months as Russian launches intense drone and missile attacks on civilian infrastructure. 'We stand strong. We help one another. And we will endure,' Terekhov said. 'Kharkiv is Ukraine. And it cannot be broken.' The Associated Press
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Slow shift to electric trucks puts EU firms at risk of heavy fines
European truck manufacturers face potential multi-billion-euro fines due to the sluggish adoption of zero-emission vehicles, the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) warned. More than 90% of new trucks registered in Europe still run on diesel, while only 3.5% of those registered in the first quarter of 2025 were electric or plug-in hybrid models, according to ACEA. Buses show better progress, with nearly 65% of new registrations running on diesel, due to a relatively high share of climate-friendly buses in cities. Christian Levin, chair of ACEA's commercial vehicle board, called on governments to do more to boost demand for electric commercial transport, such as increasing the cost of diesel transport and accelerating investments in charging infrastructure. Levin noted that nearly every major transport route in Europe runs through Germany, making support from the German government especially important. Under current EU law, average CO2 emissions from new heavy-duty vehicles such as trucks, trailers and long-distance buses must be cut by 45% by 2030, 65% by 2035 and 90% by 2040 compared to 2019 levels.
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Poland's Tusk to call vote of confidence after election setback
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk is to call a vote of confidence in parliament on Wednesday. The vote comes days after conservative nationalist Karol Nawrocki won the country's presidential election. Tusk expects a tough conflict with the new president, who was supported by the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party. The confidence vote, expected at 10 am (0800 GMT), is an attempt to cement his support among his pro-European centrist coalition. Tusk, a former president of the European Council, has led Poland since the end of 2023. His government has sought to reverse the damage to the rule of law caused by the PiS government's judicial reforms between 2015 and 2023. The outgoing president, Andrzej Duda, has blocked many bills brought forward by the Tusk government. Nawrocki is likely do the same after taking office on August 6, and could take an even harder line. The 42-year-old historian is not a member of any party, but he owes his rise to PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski, a political arch-enemy of Tusk. Nawrocki said last week that Tusk could expect "strong resistance from the presidential palace."