Putin on gas pipelines bypassing Ukraine: Easier to reach agreement with Turkey than EU

Russian President Vladimir Putin says it is easier to come to terms with Turkey than with the EU on the construction of gas pipelines bypassing Ukraine, but at the same time, he expects the Nord Stream 2 will be successfully completed.

"It seems to me that we will bring it to the logical completion. It is easier to work with the Turks than with the Europeans. There, [Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan made a decision and did his thing. And here, we need 27 countries to agree, and for years we have been chewing this gum and nothing's happening. This is sad," Putin told a joint press conference with Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen on Wednesday, May 15, according to a UNIAN correspondent in Russia.

At the same time, Putin added, the EU is Russia's largest trade partner, so the interest in the implementation of Nord Stream 2 should eventually win.

The Russian leader has accused the United States of trying to destroy the Nord Stream 2 project and some other projects, too.

Read alsoEuropean Commission not to be able to block Nord Stream 2 construction – Merkel

Putin said “this is done under the pretext of various political reasons; in fact, there are attempts at unfair competition.”

"There’s nothing else behind this," Putin claimed.

He suggested that the U.S. was aware that their "product is more expensive while its quality is no better, but nonetheless they are trying to impose their services on their partners."

Putin believes that, to defend its national interests, Austria does not require nuclear weapons and territories, only needing political will.

At the same time, he acknowledged that the companies participating in the Nord Stream 2 project are forced to reckon with the threat of sanctions on the part of the United States.

As reported earlier, both Putin and Van der Bellen said Austria did not intend to withdraw from the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline project over the threat of U.S. sanctions.

On May 14, members of the U.S. Senate Foreign Affairs Committee Ted Cruz and Jeanne Shaheen said they were to submit a bill to impose sanctions on companies involved in the Nord Stream 2 construction.