With a hope and a prayer: Putin pushes for support for a Baltic pipeline
Putin talks up Baltic link
Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for wider European participation in an ambitious Baltic gas pipeline project.
"The participants of the project do not need additional resources," Putin said, referring to a plan to build a gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea.
"But we are interested in widening the number of participants because this makes the project more balanced, reliable and stable," he added.
Last month, Russia and Germany signed a deal to build the pipeline, which would supply Europe with an additional Russian gas and help Moscow sidestep current routes through Poland and Ukraine.
Warsaw has resisted the plan, worrying that Moscow could use gas supplies to pressure Europe and Poland.
However, Reuters reported that Putin insisted there are no political motives behind the project.
"We are not doing anything to harm anyone," he said, referring to Polish objections. "We only assume Europe's acute need to create favourable conditions for economic development."
Putin added that Russia's gas monopoly Gazprom was negotiating the construction of a storage facility for the Russian gas with Belgium.
"If the project is realised, it will become a major element in the big North European gas pipeline project, because the gas will arrive to the facility through that very pipeline," he said.
Asked whether Europe was safe from Russian blackmail over gas supplies, Putin pointed to Russia's gas co-operation with Finland.
"Over 90% of Finland's needs in gas are satisfied with Russian supplies," he said. "Everyone is happy."