Turkey opposes Ukraine proposal to ship LNG through Bosphorus

Turkey opposes Ukraine proposal to ship LNG through Bosphorus Submitted by Ragip Soylu on Tue, 04/07/2026 - 10:04 Ankara cites security risks in the waterway and offers sending gas to Ukraine through existing pipeline links via Bulgaria and Romania Altura, a Turkish-owned crude oil tanker, transits the Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey, 16 March 2026 (Reuters/Yoruk Isik) Off Turkey's government is likely to reject a proposal by Kyiv to ship liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Ukraine through Istanbul's Bosphorus, citing security concerns and the long-term implications, a senior Turkish official told Middle East Eye. The proposal, a long-discussed Ukrainian idea that was raised again during a meeting in Istanbul over the weekend, would involve the construction of a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) in the Black Sea and would require LNG tankers to pass through sensitive Turkish waterways, including the Bosphorus. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday in a surprise meeting.