Russian Federation and Turkey have a common goal of resolving the crisis in Syria and it is possible to resolve differences on how to handle it, Putin said.
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His comments reflect the deep frustration in Turkey over the perception that Europe and the United States have given lukewarm support to Ankara after the failed July 15 coup, when a faction of the military commandeered tanks and warplanes in an attempt to topple the government. “I hope the plans will be ratified after deliberations”, Putin said.
“They are in close contact on Syria, bilateral relations and regional issues as well as air space”, he said.
President Erdogan travels to Russia to meet with President Putin for the first time since apologising in late June for the downing of a Russian fighter jet along the Syrian border in November past year.
The sudden rapprochement between Turkey and Russian Federation unnerved some officials in the European Union and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, who fear the two autocratic and powerful leaders could cause trouble for the West on issues including Syria and refugees. Turkey has been a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation member since 1952. “Yes and we will achieve that”, Putin said at a joint news conference on Tuesday after an initial round of talks.
Relations between the two countries had remained soured until the issue seemed largely resolved June 29 through a letter and subsequent telephone calls between the countries’ leaders.
“Erdogan’s rapprochement with Russia, of course, is a strong signal to the West”, the head of the Turkish-Russian Research Center, Aydin Sezer, told Sputnik.
Moskovskij Komsomolets wrote the “black days” between Russian Federation and Turkey had ended.
Russian Federation is carrying out a bombing campaign in support of President Bashar Assad while Turkey is fiercely opposed to the Syrian leader.
Turkey and Russian Federation are on different sides of the war with Moscow giving military support to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad whom Turkey repeatedly said must leave office.
They were also expected to discuss Syria, a conflict where the two countries find themselves on opposing sides, with Moscow backing President Bashar al-Assad and Ankara wanting him out of power.
Russian Federation is waging a bombing campaign in support of President Bashar al-Assad while Turkey is fiercely opposed to the Syrian leader.
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Gulen strongly denies Ankara’s accusations and his lawyer last Friday said Turkey had failed to provide “a scintilla” of proof to support its claim.
