Putin: We haven’t given up the South Stream project

In an apparent U-turn, Russian president Vladimir Putin announced that his country had not given up the South Stream pipeline project, which he had himself declared dead in December 2014.

The statement was made during an official visit to Hungary on 17 February 2015 (find more details of the visit by clicking here).

In March 2015, it was announced that Russian gas company Gazprom had bought the shares belonging to its European partner companies in the South Stream gas pipeline company, namely Eni, EDF and Wintershall, for approximately $1 billion, thus becoming sole owner of the pipeline.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Russia says it will shift gas transit from Ukraine to Turkey http://www.europeansources.info/record/russia-says-it-will-shift-gas-transit-from-ukraine-to-turkey/

Russia: President of Russia: Speech, 17.02.15: Press statement following Russian-Hungarian talks and answers to journalists’ questions http://eng.kremlin.ru/transcripts/23622

EurActiv [Opinion], 25.02.15: New South Stream will be Russia’s ‘route of friendship’ http://www.euractiv.com/sections/energy/new-south-stream-will-be-russias-route-friendship-312401

EurActiv, 31.03.15: Gazprom buys South Stream shares from Eni, EDF and Wintershall http://www.euractiv.com/sections/energy/gazprom-buys-all-south-stream-shares-eni-edf-and-wintershall-313411

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