Europeans Should be Grateful to Turkey for Uninterrupted Gas Transit From Russia, Putin Says

Russian President Vladimir Putin is holding talks with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in Sochi this Friday.

European partners should be grateful to Turkey for uninterrupted gas transit from Russia, President Vladimir Putin said at his meeting with Turkish counterpart, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in Sochi.

According to the Russian President, TurkStream is among the most important routes for Russian gas delivery to Europe, and has been functioning without issues.

"I mean not only deliveries for consumers in Turkey, but I want to say it again, also for consumers in Europe. So I think European partners should be grateful to Turkey for ensuring the uninterrupted transit of our gas to the European market," Putin said.

"TurkStream … , unlike all other routes of our hydrocarbon supplies, works properly, works rhythmically, without any failures," Putin said, adding that Russia exports large amount of gas, oil and coal to Turkey.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and other officials attend an inauguration ceremony of a new gas pipeline "TurkStream" on January 8, 2020 in Istanbul.

© AFP 2023 / ALEXEY DRUZHININ

The Russian President also thanked Erdogan for contributing to the resolution of the Ukrainian grain export issue.

"With your direct participation and through the mediation of UN Secretary-[General Antonio Guterres], the issue related to the supply of Ukrainian grain from the Black Sea ports has been resolved. Deliveries have already begun. I want to thank you for this and for the fact that a package decision has been made on supplies, uninterrupted supplies of both Russian food and Russian fertilizers to world markets," Putin said.

Russia and Turkey will hopefully sign a memorandum on the development of economic and trade relations, the Russian President said on Friday.

For his part, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that the Sochi talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin will open a new chapter in cooperation between Moscow and Ankara.

"I believe that our talks will open a new page in relations between the two countries. I include here issues of energy cooperation, issues of grain exports in the Black Sea, tourism, regional issues," Erdogan said, adding the agenda will also include the Syrian issue.

Since the start of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine on February 24, the US, EU and their western allies have slapped numerous packages of far-reaching sanctions on Moscow, while continuing to pump the Kiev regime with weapons – something that the Kremlin warned only served to prolong the conflict. Furthermore, the sanctions have had a disastrous effect by triggering soaring energy prices, while also disrupting supply chains and derailing crops production in one of the largest grain-producing regions in the world.

On July 22, after four-way negotiations in Istanbul brokered by the United Nations, Russia and Ukraine signed separate agreements with the United Nations and Turkey, resulting in agreements to resume grain exports in the Black Sea through three Ukrainian ports.