ST PETERSBURG, June 4 (Itar-Tass) — Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday the construction of the South Stream gas pipeline would begin at the end of this year.

“Last December South Stream was given an additional impetus,” he said in his opening remarks to the Russia-EU summit. “The Turkish side approved the pipeline’s route through its exclusive economic zone and we received a final permission from Turkey’s government.”

“We plan to launch the pipeline’s construction at the end of the year,” Putin said.