Russian-Turkish ties are growing more profoundly in economic cooperation and foreign policies, said Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, meeting in Moscow with Turkey’s top diplomat along with its defense minister and intelligence chief.
"Our relations with Turkey are becoming deeper and more meaningful, becoming deeper in the field of economic cooperation, in addressing a number of issues related to regional issues," Putin said as he received Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and Hakan Fidan, chief of the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) in Kremlin.
Putin also mentioned Russia and Turkey's efforts in Syria saying Russia and Turkey along with other countries have made serious progress in resolving the Syrian crisis.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (R) shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin (left 2) during their meeting in Moscow, Russia, August 24, 2018. /VCG Photo
A solution is closer, he added.
Cavusoglu said the Turkish-Russian relations at the presidential level are very good.
Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey are expected to meet twice in the near future on the sidelines of international meetings on Syrian settlement.
Thus, a summit meeting comprising of Russian, Turkish, French and German leaders is scheduled for September in Istanbul. Apart from that, the two leaders will attend an Astana format (Russia, Iran, Turkey) summit in Tehran.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (right 2) meets Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (left 2), Turkey's National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar (L) and Hakan Fidan (left 3), head of the National Intelligence Organization (MIT), in Moscow, Russia, August 24, 2018. /VCG Photo
Eliminate barriers
Before meeting Putin, Cavusoglu also met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov earlier in the day and the two sides agreed to take practical measures to improve bilateral ties.
Lavrov told his counterpart that Moscow and Ankara are set to eliminate barriers remaining from the period of soured relations caused by Turkey downing a Russian fighter jet in 2015.
"Russia treats Turkey as one of (its) key trade and economic partners," Lavrov said at a joint press conference after talks with Cavusoglu in Moscow.
"We witnessed a stable rise in trade turnover, which increased by more than 40 percent last year and exceeded 22 billion US dollars," he said.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (L) is welcomed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (R) before their meeting in Moscow, Russia, August 24, 2018. /VCG Photo
Lavrov said Russia and Turkey are implementing joint energy projects, including the Turkish Stream gas pipeline, "which has a strategic importance for our countries and the energy security in Europe in general."
The Turkish Stream project, initiated in 2014, intends to deliver Russian natural gas to Turkey and Europe through the Black Sea. The project was suspended amid escalated tensions caused by the downing of the jet but the construction resumed in 2017.
Russia has also started building the first reactor of Turkey's first Akkuyu nuclear power plant, a project worth around 20 billion dollars, which was also suspended in 2015.
Lavrov stressed the need to increase practical interaction in other sectors, including tourism, the automotive industry, agriculture, banking, military and technical cooperation.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (L) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (R) hold joint press conference after their meeting in Moscow, Russia, August 24, 2018. /VCG Photo
Last year, 4.7 million Russian tourists visited Turkey. The number is likely to exceed 5 million this year, according to him.
Russia and Turkey agreed to launch a year of culture and tourism in both countries in 2019, which will make a "significant contribution to strengthening our humanitarian cooperation," Lavrov said.
Both countries have also agreed to simplify mutual visas for certain categories of people, in particular for servicemen and special passports.
Russia imposed a number of restrictions on Turkey and froze bilateral projects after Turkey shot down a Russian Su-24M fighter-bomber on November 24, 2015, but bilateral relations gradually recovered after Turkish President Erdogan apologized in June 2016.
Both Moscow and Ankara are against the United States’ sanctions, considering them as a tool of unfair competition. Thus, Washington threatens to impose sanctions on Turkey for the purchase of Russian-made S-400 missile systems.
Russian S-400 Triumph medium-range and long-range surface-to-air missile systems ride through Red Square during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, May 09, 2017. /VCG Photo
Turkey and Russia have sealed an agreement on the procurement of the S-400 missiles and the former even made a down payment for the 2.5 billion US dollar cost. Turkish officials said earlier the systems would be deployed in July 2019.
US President Donald Trump recently also signed a Pentagon bill restricting the delivery of F-35 aircraft to Turkey. The bill calls for the US secretary of defense to submit a report within 90 days addressing the impacts of Turkey’s purchase of S-400s on US-made weapon systems in Turkish territories.
(With inputs from agencies)