Ankara Counts on Cooperation With Russia After Large Gas Find in Black Sea

ANKARA (Sputnik) - Turkey counts on cooperation with Russia after the discovery of what is believed to be the country's largest gas field in the Black Sea, Finance Minister Berat Albayrak said on Tuesday.

Last week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that the country’s drilling ship Faith found a 320 billion cubic meters gas field in the Black Sea.

"Russia and Iran are the countries with which we have been cooperating in the gas sector for many years. And this new period may lead to new cooperation with these countries. Perhaps, we will cooperate with them as a [gas] producing country. Russia is a reliable supplier and, even in difficult periods, it has not abandoned us and not hindered deliveries," Albayrak said live on NTV channel.

According to the minister, the gas field discovered in the Black Sea will allow Turkey to purchase gas up to 30 percent cheaper.