Turkey has proposed the construction of a $1.2 billion military fuel pipeline through Bulgaria to Romania. The goal is to secure energy supplies for NATO's eastern flank, Bloomberg writes, citing sources familiar with the discussions on the project.
According to the agency, Ankara hopes to secure allied support before or during the NATO summit in Turkey in July, Focus writes.
Supporters of the idea claim that the Bulgarian route could be approximately five times cheaper than alternative options previously discussed, including routes through Greece or Romania's western neighbors. In addition, these options are more dependent on sea transport and are considered more vulnerable.
As the agency notes, Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, as well as the conflict in the Middle East and energy supply disruptions after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, have prompted NATO to accelerate the strengthening of its military fuel supply system.
According to sources, the pipeline is intended to be used exclusively for military purposes. Its technical specifications and capacity are classified.
The project complements proposals by Eastern European countries, including Poland and Romania, to expand NATO's network of underground fuel pipelines built during the Cold War further east. This system was originally created to supply allied forces during wartime and currently extends only to Germany.