Putin says new pipeline could quickly pump more gas to EU

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV
Associated Press

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin says Russia can quickly boost natural gas supplies to the European Union once German regulators allow a new pipeline under the Baltic Sea to start operation. Speaking on a wide range of international and domestic policy issues during a conference of foreign policy experts Thursday, Putin argued that Russia already has increased gas supplies to Europe this year and could pump more “a day after” regulators approve the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. Speaking on other issues, Putin staunchly defended Russia’s law on “foreign agents” that has been used to designate some critical media, describing it as a tool to ward off foreign meddling and not a way of muzzling critical journalists.