Gazprom will soon begin talks on extending a delivery contract that expires in 2011, Putin told reporters after a lunch meeting with Erdogan at his Sochi residence.
The two countries will also consider building a second branch of the Blue Stream pipeline that links Russia to Turkey under the Black Sea, Putin said.
Erdogan took the occasion to thank Russia for delivering extra gas during the winter when other suppliers cut short their deliveries.
"Russia has never let Turkey down with gas supplies. When we experience difficulties, Russia always comes to our aid and increases the necessary volumes," he said, Interfax reported.
Putin invited Erdogan after Turkey last week said it would reach an agreement with the European Union on the Nabucco pipeline, a project that would bypass Russia in bringing Caspian resources to Europe.
Gazprom, which is pushing a rival project called South Stream, is seeking to thwart Nabucco by buying up all excess gas volumes produced by neighbors such as Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.
Turkey is Gazprom's fourth-largest customer by volume, receiving Russian gas via Bulgaria and Blue Stream. Russia delivered 23.8 billion cubic meters of gas in 2008, 10 bcm of which is delivered through Blue Stream. This year, the countries expect that figure to increase to 25.5 bcm.
The countries agreed in March on the creation of a working group for the Blue Stream project, which Russia hopes will enable it to deliver gas to the Middle East.
(Bloomberg, MT)
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.