Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the idea of creating a Turkish "gas hub" with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during a phone call, the Kremlin said on Friday, Trend reports citing Daily Sabah.
Putin first proposed creating a gas base in Türkiye in October as a means to redirect supplies from the damaged Nord Stream pipelines and export them on to the European market, an idea that Erdogan has supported.
Putin has repeatedly said that a natural gas hub could be set up in Türkiye fairly quickly, forecasting many European customers would emerge in such a marketplace.
Erdogan previously said Russian and Turkish energy authorities would work together to designate the best location for the potential gas distribution center, adding that Türkiye’s Thrace region, bordering Greece and Bulgaria, appeared to be the best spot.
Türkiye is home to seven international natural gas pipelines and one of the ways Russian gas reaches Europe is through the dual TurkStream natural gas pipeline. With a total capacity of 31.5 billion cubic meters (bcm), each line has an annual capacity of 15.75 bcm.
The European Union, which previously turned to Russia for about 40% of its gas needs, is seeking to wean itself off Russian energy following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Kremlin said the two sides also discussed the agreed extension of the Black Sea grain deal, an agreement that Türkiye helped broker to ensure the safe passage of grain exports from blockaded Ukrainian ports.
"Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan emphasized the importance of a comprehensive and complete implementation of this 'package' agreement," the Kremlin said.