Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday said a natural gas hub could be set up in Turkey fairly quickly and predicted many customers in Europe would want to sign contracts. Putin proposed Turkey as a base for gas supplies earlier this month after the Nord Stream pipelines under the Baltic Sea were damaged in September by blasts. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan says he agrees with the idea. Putin said it was very difficult to work directly with European commercial partners. The European Union, which previously turned to Russia for about 40 percent of its gas needs, is seeking to wean itself…