Russia's president on Wednesday said Türkiye may become the principal route for Russian gas deliveries to Europe.
Speaking at the Russian Energy Week International Forum in Moscow, Vladimir Putin said his country was delivering "not great, but presentable" volumes of gas to Europe via TurkStream, suggesting Türkiye as the principal route for gas transport to the West. He added that an energy hub may be built in Türkiye for this purpose.
The power of the TurkStream and the Siberia gas pipelines proved their efficiency, he argued.
As the global energy sector faces unprecedented problems, the search for ways out of this crisis must become a priority on international platforms, he said.
Nord Stream blasts
Blasts damaging the Nord Stream pipelines last month were "an act of international terrorism,” Putin also told the forum.
Putin said the purpose of the blasts was "to undermine the energy security of an entire continent, block sources of cheap energy."
People “who want to finally sever ties between Russia and the EU, weaken Europe" are behind the blasts, he said.
The Sept. 26 blasts on the undersea Nord Stream I and 2 pipelines led to huge leaks of methane and mutual suspicions of responsibility between Russia and the West. Investigations of the blasts continue.
Putin named the US and countries with alternative energy supply routes in Europe, including Ukraine and Poland, as "beneficiaries" of the disruption of Nord Stream pipelines. The US has previously denied accusations that it was responsible for the blasts.
Putin said the Nord Stream pipelines can be restored but only if their use continues and if security is provided.
One line of the Nord Stream 2 remains intact, and Russia may deliver about 27 billion cubic meters of gas via this route, he said.
"Russia is ready to supply an additional volume of gas to Europe this fall and winter. The ball is on the side of the European Union, if they want – let's turn on the tap," he said.
Putin stressed that deliveries via pipelines are more reliable because they cannot be redirected to regions which offer a better price.
However, he said the EU will solve the price problem through printing more money, although inflation in the European zone recently reached an unprecedented 10%, AA reports.
