Transcript of the beginning of the meeting:  

Vladimir Putin: Go ahead, please. You have been to the Far East, haven't you? What could you say about the situation on the site where the pipeline is being laid?

Yury Trutnev: You remember, in 2006 we checked compliance with the environmental protection laws on the Sakhalin-2 project. Every possible law was violated. There were spoilt banks, spawning streams filled with soil, and unprotected slip-off banks. No account was made of the seismic danger. We have kept the photos from that time.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, I remember.

Yury Trutnev: To be honest, it is hard to look at them. But I am happy to report that now the situation has changed. It is as different as day and night compared to the past. Stream flows have been restored, and the fish is back. The route's entire surface has been protected with the most modern technologies. The seismic threat has been considered, and all soil taken away from the site. In terms of environmental protection, we can say without any exaggeration that Sakhalin-2 can be considered an exemplary project in Russia.

And, Mr Putin, I would like to tell you about another achievement in environmental protection...

Vladimir Putin: On Lake Baikal?

Yury Trutnev: A closed water cycle has been finally launched on Lake Baikal. As a result, we no longer have 120 cubic meters of waste flowing into the lake every day. There are still some problems. They are buying air filters. There are problems with accumulated waste. They all have to be resolved. However, we think a lot has been done.

Vladimir Putin: Excellent. Very good.