Putin courts Erdogan with plan to pump more Russian gas via Turkey

ASTANA, Oct 13 (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed to his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday that Moscow might export more gas via Turkey and switch it into a brand new provide “hub”, bidding to protect Russia’s power leverage over Europe.

At a gathering in Kazakhstan, Putin mentioned Turkey provided essentially the most dependable route to ship gas to the European Union, and the proposed platform would permit costs to be set with out politics.

Russia is wanting to redirect provides away from the Nord Stream Baltic gas pipelines, broken in explosions final month which can be nonetheless below investigation. Russia blamed the West, with out offering proof, and rejected what it referred to as “stupid” assertions that it had sabotaged the pipelines itself.

Putin informed Erdogan the hub can be “a platform not only for supplies, but also for determining the price, because this is a very important issue”.

“Today, these prices are sky-high,” he mentioned. “We could easily regulate [them] at a normal market level, without any political overtones.”

Erdogan didn’t reply within the televised portion of their assembly, however Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted by the Russian information company RIA as saying each males had ordered a speedy and detailed examination of the concept.

Russia provided about 40% of Europe’s gas earlier than its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine however had reduce flows sharply even earlier than the explosions, blaming technical issues that it mentioned have been the results of Western sanctions.

European governments rejected that rationalization, accusing Moscow of utilizing power as a geopolitical weapon.

TURKISH MEDIATION

Relations with NATO member Turkey are important to Russia at a time when the West has hit it with waves of financial sanctions, which Ankara has kept away from becoming a member of. Turkey has, nevertheless, rejected Russia’s transfer to annex 4 Ukrainian areas as a “grave violation” of worldwide regulation.

Erdogan has sought to mediate between Moscow and Kyiv, and achieved a uncommon breakthrough in July when, collectively with the United Nations, he brokered an settlement permitting for the resumption of business Ukrainian grain exports from Black Sea ports that Russia had blockaded.

Russia has complained, nevertheless, that its personal grain and fertiliser exports, whereas circuitously focused by Western sanctions, proceed to be hampered by issues with entry to overseas ports and acquiring insurance coverage.

Erdogan informed Putin: “We are determined to strengthen and continue the grain exports … and the transfer of Russian grain and fertiliser to less developed countries via Turkey.”

Russian officers had mentioned earlier than the assembly that they have been open to listening to proposals from Turkey about internet hosting peace talks involving Russia and the West.

However, Peskov was quoted by RIA as saying “the topic of a Russian-Ukrainian settlement was not discussed” by the leaders.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov this week signalled rising receptiveness to talks after Moscow suffered a collection of army defeats. Washington dismissed his feedback as “posturing”.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has dominated out speaking to Putin after he proclaimed the annexation of the 4 Ukrainian areas and after Russia rained missiles on Ukrainian cities this week within the wake of an assault on a significant bridge between Russia and Crimea, the peninsula it seized in 2014.

Reporting by Reuters; writing by Mark Trevelyan, Editing by Kevin Liffey

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