NATO allies are close to concluding a landmark agreement to expand the Cold War-era fuel pipeline network to Eastern Europe and Turkey, to guarantee supplies to these countries in the event of a crisis. Bloomberg reports this, writes UNN.
Details
The decision is expected to be announced on Wednesday at the annual NATO summit in Ankara after consensus was reached to advance the plan following years of discussions. This was reported by people familiar with the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the confidentiality of the negotiations. The pipelines connect military bases, facilitating fuel delivery in crisis situations.
It is noted that the initiative reflects growing concern that pipelines concentrated in Western Europe may be insufficient to support large-scale operations near Russia's borders. Most countries on NATO's eastern flank rely on road and rail infrastructure, which is more vulnerable to congestion and attacks.
According to one interlocutor, the project could become the largest investment in the history of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, with its cost potentially reaching $30 billion over two decades.
Technical details, including the financing structure and the order of network expansion, still need to be agreed upon in the coming weeks, sources said.
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A NATO representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
According to interlocutors, NATO will likely provide the bulk of the funding, with Eastern European countries covering the remaining costs. At the same time, the exact details are still being finalized. The main beneficiaries of the project will be Poland, the Baltic states, Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey.
Diplomats debated the issue last week during the preparation of a statement for leaders, which is to be approved at the summit in Ankara. Poland insisted that the agreement on pipeline expansion be adopted specifically during the meeting.
NATO has been studying the possibility of expanding the so-called Central European Pipeline System eastward for many years, but the scale of the project has raised concerns among many allies about its financial and technical feasibility.
The goal of the project is to improve the Alliance's ability to supply fuel for aircraft, vehicles, and military facilities. Its importance has grown since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
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