Russia is ready to start pumping gas through the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday at the Eastern Economic Forum.

"We are not building anything for no reason. We have received and perfected the necessary technology. We will turn on Nord Stream 2 if necessary," Putin said.

According to him, Nord Stream 1 is currently virtually closed, and the West claims that Moscow is using the gas pipeline as an energy weapon. "Nonsense. We supply as much as our partners need - we fulfill whatever they put in the application," Putin added.