Türkiye, Russia take steps to create energy hub in Thrace

By Trend

Following Russian Vladimir Putin’s statement that Türkiye is the most reliable route for transporting Russian gas to Europe, Türkiye and Russia are taking steps to start joint work for establishing an energy distribution center in the former’s Thrace region, Trend reports citing Daily News.

“Thrace is seen as the most important place for this kind of a distribution center. We, with Putin, have instructed our respective energy ministries to start a joint work. This work will be done and a distribution center will be established in the most suitable place,” Erdogan told journalists on his return from Kazakhstan on Oct. 14.

Erdogan made these comments after his meeting with Putin who suggested that a major energy center can be created in Türkiye as the most reliable route for energy export to the European markets.

Türkiye has a distribution center in the region but it is used for national purposes, Erdogan said, stressing that the new one will be an international distribution center. “We will take necessary steps right after our Energy Ministry and the Russian side conclude their joint work and introduce it to us. There is no waiting here. We have immediately instructed our Energy Ministry,” the president said.

Erdogan informed that the Russian leader instructed Gazprom President Alexei Miller, who was also present at the meeting, simultaneously. “They will meet and start to work together,” Erdogan stressed, adding all the necessary steps concerning security will also be taken accordingly.

“Türkiye is an even more secure route than Europe. Thanks to your attitude, we are planning to use this route more intensely,” Putin said at his meeting with Erdogan in Astana on Oct. 13.

Ankara and Moscow have in-depth energy cooperation as the latter annually supplies around 65 percent of Türkiye’s hydrocarbon needs. The two countries are linked by two major natural gas pipelines, the Blue Stream and the TurkStream.