Putin sees Nord Stream 2 pipeline ready by early 2021

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that work on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline will be finished by early next year.

“I hope that by the end of this year, or in the first quarter of next year, work will be finished and the gas pipeline will start operating,” Putin stated.

The Russian leader was speaking on Saturday at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, following discussions between leaders of the two countries tied to the pipeline project, which was initially scheduled to be completed by the end of 2019.