ZHUKOVSKY /Moscow Region/, August 27. /TASS/. The Russian gas will start running to Turkey via the TurkStream by the end of this year, President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday.

"The TurkStream construction is on schedule. We assume that the Russian gas will start running to Turkish consumers as early as at the end of this year, while transit supplies to Europe via the Turkish territory will start after the second line extends the capacity of TurkStream," Putin told a joint press conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday.

The Russian president noted a close energy cooperation between Moscow and Ankara, also mentioning the project to construct the first nuclear power plant in Turkey, Akkuyu, being implemented by Russia’s state-run nuclear corporation Rosatom. "I should emphasize that both projects — the Akkuyu NPP and TurkStream — meet the highest environmental and technological standards and are going to become major elements of ensuring regional and European-wide energy security," Putin added.