Erdogan hailed the TurkStream pipeline, which aims to pump some 31.1 billion cubic meters of gas from Russia to Turkey annually, as a “new step” in Turkish-Russian energy cooperation, which he said showed the “high level” of relations between the two countries.
The pipeline was laid by the special pipe-laying vessel Pioneering Spirit, which is the area of some six football pitches. Putin and Erdogan watched via video link in Istanbul as the last section was welded and laid into the sea by the vessel.
Putin said he believed TurkStream and the Akkuyu nuclear power station would become “clear symbols of the growing development of Russia and Turkey's multi-faceted partnership.”
“This (TurkStream) will without doubt turn Turkey into a serious European hub and this will without doubt have an effect on the geopolitical position of the Turkish Republic,” he added.
The onshore section of the pipeline in Turkey still needs to be built and TurkStream expects the gas to start being pumped at the end of 2019.
The aim is that half of the gas pumped through the pipeline will go to ensure the energy needs of western Turkish cities like Istanbul, Bursa and Izmir and the other half sent on to other European countries.
“Such a project needs political will and courage. Because in the circumstances of growing competition such projects cannot be without this,” said Turkish president Erdogan.