Russia ready to meet Turkey's gas needs

• Tweet

MOSCOW, Dec. 20 (UPI) -- A spokeswoman for the Russian Energy Ministry said Moscow was ready to increase the amount of natural gas it ships to Turkey.

Russia sends around 950 billion cubic feet of natural gas per year to Turkey through the Blue Stream and Transbalkan pipelines. An unnamed spokeswoman for the country's Energy Ministry told the Platts news service that more gas could be delivered at Ankara's request.

"In principle, Russia is ready to increase supplies to Turkey by 100 billion cubic feet year, we are waiting for an official request from the Turkish side," she said.

During a visit from Russian President Vladimir Putin this month, Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said Ankara is keen to secure more natural gas from Russia in light of sanctions on Iran.

Yildiz said both sides could work outside conventional contractual frameworks to increase gas deliveries.

Russian energy company Gazprom aims to build its South Stream gas pipeline through Turkish territory for European consumers. Turkey would also host pipeline networks that would ship non-Russian supplies to the eurozone.