Moscow and Ankara are successfully cooperating on a number of international issues, including Libya and Syria, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Sochi.
“On the international agenda, we are cooperating quite successfully. I mean both Syria and our contacts, coordination of positions on Libya. The Russian-Turkish ceasefire control centre on the border between Azerbaijan and Armenia is actively operating,” Putin said.
Putin added that the countries’ cooperation guarantees stability. According to the Russian president, negotiations between Russia and Turkey are not always smooth but the countries have learned to find compromises.
“Negotiations are sometimes difficult, but with a positive final result. Our ministries have learned to find compromises that are beneficial for both countries,” Putin said.
Russia-Turkish Trade Ties Blossom
The relations between Russia and Turkey are developing successfully, as the bilateral trade surged by over 50% year-on-year in the first nine months of 2021, Vladimir Putin said.
“I am pleased to note the positive development of our relations. Relevant agencies maintain cooperation in all areas…Last year, our trade declined by over 20%. This year, over the past nine months or even 8.5 [months], we see a growth of over 55%. This means we not only compensated for everything lost during the pandemic year but achieved an over 30% increase,” Putin said.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that the first unit of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant (NPP), which Russia’s Rosatom is constructing in Turkey’s south, could open next year.
After inspecting the NPP construction site in mid-September, the Turkish president said the first power unit could be operational by May 2023.
“The construction continues as planned … I believe we will be able to open the first unit next year,” Erdogan said.
On Cooperation in Nagorno-Karabakh Region
President Putin also spoke about the cooperation between Russia and Turkey in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
“The Russian-Turkish ceasefire control centre on the border between Azerbaijan and Armenia is actively operating, and this cooperation guarantees stability and coordination of the parties’ positions on further steps aimed at reconciliation,” Putin said./sputniknews
