Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan flew to Sochi today to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Negotiations are held on the territory of the sanatorium “Russian”. Journalists were shown only the beginning of the meeting, which was already the second in the last 17 days.
The President of the Russian Federation announced that he plans to sign a memorandum of understanding on the development of trade and economic ties between the two countries: we took into account the agreements reached by our delegation while working in Turkey.
At the beginning of the meeting, Putin described the Turkish Stream as one of the most important arteries supplying Russian gas to Europe, and partners in the region “should be grateful to Ankara,” according to RIA Novosti.
The Turkish Stream, which we completed a while ago, is today one of the most important arteries to supply Russian gas to Europe. And the Turkish Stream, unlike all other instructions for the supply of our hydrocarbons, is working properly, rhythmically, without errors, ”said the author.
Putin also thanked Erdogan for his help in resolving the problem with Ukraine’s grain exports from ports. “With your direct participation and through the United Nations Secretariat, the problem with the supply of Ukrainian grain from the Black Sea ports has been resolved. Deliveries have already begun, I want to thank you both for this and at the same time for the decision to make a package on the uninterrupted supply of Russian food and fertilizers to the world markets, ”he said.
As we recall, the agreement on the export of grain from Ukraine via the Black Sea was signed in Istanbul on July 22, in the words of UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
“New page”
The Turkish president also said that leaders should turn a new page on cooperation issues: “I include energy cooperation issues, grain export issues in the Black Sea, tourism, regional issues here.”
Erdogan also wanted to prevent failures in the construction of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant.
According to the Turkish politician, one of the topics of the meeting will be the Syrian issue. “The fight against terrorism in the region is important to us. “Today, the world is following the talks in Sochi,” he said.
Newspaper Washington post Earlier, he wrote that Putin might ask Erdogan at a meeting to allow Russian companies to buy shares in Turkish refineries to try to hide the source of Russian oil. Russia also wants many state-owned Turkish banks to open correspondent accounts for major Russian banks, which economists and sanctions experts say would be a clear violation of Western sanctions.
Don’t underestimate Russia
Turkish Presidential Administration Communications Director Fahrettin Altun said today that the international community cannot end the conflict in Ukraine by ignoring Russia. He stressed that Ankara is using its relations with Moscow and Kyiv to reach a mutually acceptable solution.
“The truth is that some of our friends don’t want the war to end, they are shedding crocodile tears,” Altun said.
“The international community cannot end the war in Ukraine by ignoring Russia. Diplomacy and peace must prevail,” he said.
The behind-the-scenes negotiations between Putin and Erdogan lasted more than four hours. After the one-on-one meeting, meetings should be held with delegations: Turkish foreign and defense ministers and the head of national intelligence also flew to the Black Sea coast.
Last time, meetings were held with the Turkish leader in Sochi. On 19 July, both attended the Astana trilateral summit on Syria and had a bilateral meeting between them.