ISTANBUL (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th January, 2020) The trade between Russia and Turkey is on the up and up, as both countries will keep on moving toward the coveted $100 billion-threshold, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the opening ceremony of TurkStream pipeline.
The pipeline has been launched in Istanbul in the presence of Erdogan, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Serbian leader Aleksandar Vucic and Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov.
"Our relations with Russia are more than 500 years old. We will never forget Russia's support during our War of Independence. Putin's strong will gives a strong impetus to our cooperation. Today we are talking about the goal to reach the $100 billion trade. We have a considerable increase in trade now, and in tourism we register records every year," Erdogan said.
The Turkish president dubbed TurkStream a symbol of Russian-Turkish cooperation.
"As the Russian saying goes, a smart comrade means half of the road is behind. Our people also believe that a good comrade is just as important as the road itself. I am sure that our countries will keep going forward as two comrades," he said.
The Russian and Turkish leaders have been working on boosting bilateral trade since 2010s. Despite occasional setbacks, such as the downing of a Russian Su-24 fighter jet in 2015, which cooled relations between Moscow and Ankara for a while, the sides continue moving in a positive direction.
The TurkStream project consists of two legs, each capable of transporting 15.75 billion cubic meters (556 billion cubic feet) a year, with its first leg delivering gas to Turkish consumers and the second to Southern and Southeast Europe.
