MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Relations between Moscow and Ankara deteriorated following the downing of a Russian Su-24 aircraft over Syria by a Turkish jet on November 24. In the wake of the incident, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on economic measures against Ankara.
"The Akkuyu NPP was not mentioned in the president's decree, or in the three government decrees… Russia does not drop the Turkish Stream, but the ball is in Turkey's court now," Karlov told RIA Novosti.
Karlov said that it was very difficult to predict the future of the Turkish Stream project in the current situation, adding that Russia expected Ankara to make moves to begin improving the bilateral relations.
Russia and Turkey signed an agreement to construct and operate Turkey’s first nuclear power plant at the Akkuyu site in the Turkish southern Mersin province in May 2010. The NPP is expected to produce about 35 billion kilowatt-hours per year. The project's cost is estimated at about $20 billion.