BUDAPEST, February 28 (RIA Novosti) - Russian President Vladimir Putin, currently on an official visit to Hungary, said Tuesday that Russia had been a reliable supplier of energy resources to Europe.

"I believe no one in Europe should doubt the reliability of [energy] supplies," Putin said.

He added that Russia had not encountered any difficulties with energy supplies, even during economic hardship, particularly in the 1990s.

The Russian leader said the country's natural gas deliveries to Europe were increasing with the growing demand from European countries, and that additional gas transportation infrastructure was needed to meet the demand, including the construction of the North European Gas Pipeline set to run under the Baltic Sea to Germany and the Blue Stream gas pipeline to Turkey through the Black Sea.

Putin said Russia intended to increase its annual natural gas deliveries to Europe to 60 billion cubic meters in the next few years.