KIEV, Mar. 2 - Foreign Minister Boris Tarasiuk Wednesday sought to downplay Russia??™s plans of building a natural gas pipeline to Turkey bypassing Ukraine and suggested the strong demand for gas would keep Ukrainian pipelines busy.

Ukraine is currently the main shipper of Russian gas to Europe as it is responsible for up to 80% of such Russian supplies. Russia planned to build another gas pipeline across the Black Sea to boost shipments to Turkey and further to Europe.