(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) Monday that would send Russian natural gas to Europe via Turkey.
Russia "attaches great importance towards Turkey and in honoring its energy needs, so we have agreed to increase the flow of Russian natural gas to offered it (Turkey) a six percent discount," Putin told a joint news conference with Erdogan.
"Europe is placing hurdles before the completion of the Russian gas project to Europe," said Putin, referring to the ambitious USD multi-billion South Stream project designed to export Russian gas to Europe.
The Russian leader said Moscow and Ankara discussed establishment of a USD 20-billion nuclear reactor in Turkey. He added that 200 Turkish engineers and technicians were in Russia on energy training.
Putin said Russia and Turkey agreed to increase trade exchange specially in investment. He said Turkish construction companies will have a share in projects of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
On the Syrian crisis, Putin said Russia would not allow the "continuation of chaos in Syria and the increase of activities of terrorist groups. We don't want to repeat what happened in Iraq.
"The Syrian people are the ones to decide whether the regime stays or not," he said, while underlining importance of ending the civil war in Syria.
Erdogan, meanwhile, said they have discussed energy cooperation, the Syrian conflict and other regional matters.
He said they agreed to start the transport of Russian gas to Greece through Turkey.
Erdogan hoped trade exchange with Russia would reach USD 100 billion by the year 2023.
The Turkish leader said the two countries were determined to step up the fight against terrorist groups, specially the Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (ISIL).
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