The earlier uptick in relations between Turkey and Russian Federation was built on a macho friendship between Mr Putin and Mr Erdogan, two combative leaders in their early 60s credited with restoring confidence to their nations in the wake of financial crises but also criticised for clamping down on human rights.
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Bozdag said if the USA did not extradite Gulen, relations between the two would be negatively affected despite being “two friendly countries” at present.
The jet incident led Moscow to impose economic sanctions, particularly on food imports and tourism, that created a large impact on both countries’ economies. The Kremlin rejected that, with Putin calling the shooting a “stab in the back”.
It was scheduled after Erdogan wrote a letter in June apologizing to Putin for the downing of the Russian jet.
Mr Erdogan’s visit to Mr Putin’s hometown of St Petersburg is also his first foreign trip since the failed coup against him last month that sparked a purge of opponents and cast a shadow over Turkey’s relations with the West.
In the wake of the failed coup, there are fears in Western capitals that Turkey, a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation member, could draw even closer to Russian Federation – with Mr Erdogan bluntly making it clear he feels let down by the United States and European Union.
So what are the issues at play in the rekindled relationship? He said Turkey is ready to implement a natural gas pipeline project proposed by Moscow and a deal for Russian Federation to build Turkey’s first nuclear power plant.
Supporters of of President Erdogan in Antalya last month, following the attempted coup in Turkey.
“I want to again say that it’s our principled position that we are always categorically against any attempts at unconstitutional actions”, he said.
Erdoğan said that Turkey held two general elections in 2015, while also fighting against terror, and finally resisting against a bloody coup attempt on July 15 and added: “The treacherous attack against our democracy and republic was resisted by courage and the sacrifice of our nation”. But the U.S. says Turkey must provide solid evidence before such a move can be considered. “We’re seeing the results of that right now”.
Putin’s rapid phone call expressing his solidarity to Erdogan in the wake of the failed putsch had been a “psychological boost”, the Turkish president said.
But they said their discussion of the Syrian situation would come after their news conference Tuesday, in an apparent attempt to compartmentalize the economic and trade questions from the thornier issue of the war. There have been 60.5 percent less exports from Turkey to Russian Federation this year, compared to the same time last year, Turkey’s Daily Sabah reported.
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier played down Western concerns, telling the Bild daily that he was not anxious about Turkey and Russian Federation improving ties. “Those objectives are mutually exclusive”, he said.
Russia’s Energy Minister Alexander Novak said the first line of TurkStream to supply Ankara with gas could be built as early as 2019 but that solid guarantees from the European Union were needed before a second line taking gas from Russian Federation to the bloc across Turkey could be built.
There is a potential for greater cooperation in targeting their common enemy, ISIS, and potentially working to limit some of the violence in northern Syria, he said.
“I think it is possible to align our views and approaches”, Putin told reporters.
Putin welcomed Erdogan in a Tsarist-era palace just outside his home town and immediately signaled he was ready to improve relations with Turkey, which he said had gone from a historical high point to a very low level.
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“We will gradually drop the special economic measures and restrictions directed at Turkish companies that were introduced earlier”, adding that Russian Federation and Turkey had “every opportunity to resume normal, fully fledged relationships”, RIA Novosti reported.
