"Turkish Stream should organically complement capacities of the [Russian gas] deliveries to the European market which already exist and will also protect European consumers from existing risks," Medvedev told reporters after talks with his Turkish counterpart Binali Yildirim.
The Russian prime minister pointed out that Europe would profit from the project.
"The second leg [of Turkish Stream] stipulates gas deliveries to the Turkish border for subsequent deliveries to Europe. These negotiations on the location of point of delivery and how it will be done are in the future. In any case, I'm sure that such decisions will benefit Europe, they will encourage diversification of routes, but at the same time there is not rivalry with other gas pipelines, there is a purpose for all of them," Medvedev told reporters.
Russia will ratify the agreement on the pipeline project in the near future, Medvedev added.
"We have discussed the most important projects such as the Turkish Stream… the ratification by us will be in the nearest future. The documents will be reviewed at a governmental session and later all ratifying procedures will be carried out," Medvedev told reporters.
On October 10, Russia and Turkey signed an intergovernmental agreement envisioning the construction of two underwater legs of the gas pipeline in the Black Sea. The annual capacity of each leg is estimated to reach 15.75 billion cubic meters of natural gas. Pipe-laying work for the Turkish Stream is expected to begin in 2017 and end in late 2019.
The Turkish Stream project was announced in late 2014 by Russian President Vladimir Putin during his state visit to Turkey. In November 2015, the project was suspended after a Russian aircraft was downed by a Turkish fighter in Syria. A thaw in relations between Moscow and Ankara began last June following Turkey's apology to Russia.
