The Russian and Turkish foreign ministers stated that they will ensure the security of energy pipelines between the two countries.

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov spoke by phone on the 17th with Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan. Both sides said that ensuring the safety of energy pipelines between the two countries is crucial. According to a statement published on the website of the Russian Foreign Ministry that day, against the backdrop of Ukraine’s ongoing attempts to sabotage the natural gas pipeline facilities of “Blue Stream” and “Turkish Stream,” Lavrov and Fidan emphasized that conditions must be created for the continued operation of the Russia-Turkey strategic energy projects. The statement said that the two sides also exchanged views on the situation in Iran. The Russian side advocates “giving priority to political and diplomatic means that do not involve the use of force,” and “de-escalating as soon as possible the crisis situation triggered by U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.” The Russian side is willing to do everything it can to help resolve the crisis and to coordinate efforts with all parties, including Turkey, to ease tensions in the Middle East region. On March 11, Gazprom released a message saying that since February 24, its key energy infrastructure located in southern Russia has been subjected to more than 10 attacks, and these facilities provide assurances for the operation of the “Turkish Stream” and “Blue Stream” natural gas pipelines. (Xinhua)