Putin courts Erdogan with plan to pump more Russian gas via Turkey - Reuters

ASTANA, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin projected to his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan connected Thursday that Moscow could export much state via Turkey and crook it into a caller proviso "hub", bidding to sphere Russia's vigor leverage implicit Europe.

At a gathering successful Kazakhstan, Putin said Turkey offered the astir reliable way to present state to the European Union, and the projected level would let prices to beryllium acceptable without politics.

Russia is looking to redirect supplies distant from the Nord Stream Baltic state pipelines, damaged successful explosions past period that are inactive nether investigation. Russia blamed the West, without providing evidence, and rejected what it called "stupid" assertions that it had sabotaged the pipelines itself.

Putin told Erdogan the hub would beryllium "a level not lone for supplies, but besides for determining the price, due to the fact that this is simply a precise important issue".

"Today, these prices are sky-high," helium said. "We could easy modulate [them] astatine a mean marketplace level, without immoderate governmental overtones."

Erdogan did not respond successful the televised information of their meeting, but Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov was quoted by the Russian quality bureau RIA arsenic saying some men had ordered a accelerated and elaborate introspection of the idea.

Russia supplied astir 40% of Europe's state earlier its Feb. 24 penetration of Ukraine but had chopped flows sharply adjacent earlier the explosions, blaming method problems that it said were the effect of Western sanctions.

European governments rejected that explanation, accusing Moscow of utilizing vigor arsenic a geopolitical weapon.

TURKISH MEDIATION

Relations with NATO subordinate Turkey are captious to Russia astatine a clip erstwhile the West has deed it with waves of economical sanctions, which Ankara has refrained from joining. Turkey has, however, rejected Russia's determination to annex 4 Ukrainian regions arsenic a "grave violation" of planetary law.

Erdogan has sought to mediate betwixt Moscow and Kyiv, and achieved a uncommon breakthrough successful July when, unneurotic with the United Nations, helium brokered an statement allowing for the resumption of commercialized Ukrainian atom exports from Black Sea ports that Russia had blockaded.

Russia has complained, however, that its ain atom and fertiliser exports, portion not straight targeted by Western sanctions, proceed to beryllium hampered by problems with entree to overseas ports and obtaining insurance.

Erdogan told Putin: "We are determined to fortify and proceed the atom exports ... and the transportation of Russian atom and fertiliser to little developed countries via Turkey."

Russian officials had said earlier the gathering that they were unfastened to proceeding proposals from Turkey astir hosting bid talks involving Russia and the West.

However, Peskov was quoted by RIA arsenic saying "the taxable of a Russian-Ukrainian colony was not discussed" by the leaders.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov this week signalled expanding receptiveness to talks aft Moscow suffered a bid of subject defeats. Washington dismissed his comments arsenic "posturing".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has ruled retired talking to Putin aft helium proclaimed the annexation of the 4 Ukrainian regions and aft Russia rained missiles connected Ukrainian cities this week successful the aftermath of an onslaught connected a captious span betwixt Russia and Crimea, the peninsula it seized successful 2014.

Reporting by Reuters; penning by Mark Trevelyan, Editing by Kevin Liffey

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