This Monday, the Egyptian Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Tarek Kabil, stated that his country is ready to meet Russia’s needs and become an alternative to Turkish imports after the tension that marred the relationship between Moscow and Ankara following the downing of a Russian warplane by Turkey a few days ago.
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“For the time being, the majority of 44 Russian universities that cooperate with Turkish educational institutions have already notified their Turkish partners about the termination or suspension of cooperation agreements”, the press service of the ministry said in a statement. The Russian Defense Ministry on Wednesday released an array of satellite and aerial images which it said show hundreds of oil trucks streaming across the border.
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu hit back at the Russian accusations Thursday, saying the claims were reminiscent of “lies” produced by the “Cold War-era Soviet propaganda machine”.
Russia’s RIA agency said earlier in the day, citing unnamed diplomatic sources, that the meeting would take place in Belgrade today, Reuters reported.
“No one will give credit to the lies of the Soviet propaganda machine”, he added. A Russian marine also died trying to retrieve a second pilot.
Putin said in his speech that Russia’s air campaign in Syria that started on September 30 is meant to fend off a terror threat to Russia posed by militant groups in Syria that include Russian residents.
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This will be the first high level contact between Ankara and Moscow since an intruding Russian SU-24 was shot down by Turkish F-16s near the Syrian border after it breached Turkish airspace on November 24 despite ten warnings in five minutes. Securing alternative markets for LPG and building additional infrastructure may prove hard for Russian Federation.
