Putin decides: TurkStream pipeline will run through Serbia

Also, all preparatory procedures have started in these countries, the Russia-based Kommersant writes, according to Sputnik.

As reported, the first gas deliveries to Bulgaria and Serbia will begin in 2020, Russian gas will arrive in Hungary only a year later, which will allow the Russian company to completely shut off supplies via Ukraine by 2022.

Kommersant indicates this is this is effectively the South Stream pipeline - "that the European Union suspended in 2014 under pressure from the United States."

It is assessed that this time "it will be dramatically more complicated to affect the project's suspension because Gazprom is fully complying with the laws of the European Union."

Although Greece is also planning to join this pipeline, according to Kommersant, "it is still not entirely clear what that would look like."

It is assumed that Greece will connect through Bulgaria, or replace the Azerbaijani gas with that coming from Russia - after the completion of the TAP pipeline, which is also planned for 2020, Sputnik writes.

Read more

• Moscow: EU should fix new Kosovo mess, this is trade war
• President "hopes they won't start killing our people"
• EU: Kosovo must reverse this act immediately
• "100% tax to remain until Serbia recognizes Kosovo"