Al Arabiya News published the first news article about the summit of two leaders, which is eagerly awaited in Turkey with the headline “Erdogan says Turkey-Russia delegation meetings fruitful during visit to Sochi”.
Pro-AKP press claimed that Erdogan went to Sochi to sort out the controversy surrounding the firing of the lead Turkish contractor to Russian-built Akkuyu nuclear power generator, inform Putin that the military will push into Syria no matter what Russia and Iran think, as well as broaden the Ukraine Grain Deal to more Ukraine exports.
This is what al Arabiya reported: Sitting opposite Putin ahead of their talks in the Black Sea city of Sochi, Erdogan said earlier meetings between Turkish and Russian delegations on politics, economic and trade issues had been fruitful.
Their meeting, less than three weeks since they held talks in Tehran, comes after Turkey helped broker a deal to resume Ukraine’s Black Sea grain exports which were blocked by Russia’s invasion.
“Our meeting will be completed and open a very different page in Turkey-Russia relations,” Erdogan said in comments broadcast on Turkish television.
He did not mention Ukraine. But he said he believed their talks on Syria “will bring further relief to the region.”
Erdogan has threatened to order new military operations in Syria to extend 30-km (20-mile) deep “safe zones” on the border.
Turkey backs fighters in Syria who have fought against President Bashar al-Assad, who is in turn supported by Russia. Ankara’s operations in northern Syria have largely targeted a Kurdish militia which it views as a terrorist group.
Earlier, Erdogan’s communications director Fahrettin Altun said the international community could not end the war in Ukraine by ignoring Moscow.
In remarks at the start of the meeting, Putin told Erdogan that he was expecting to sign an agreement to boost trade and economic ties.
“I hope that today we will be able to sign a relevant memorandum on the development of our trade and economic ties,” Putin said as the two leaders sat down for talks.
According to the Kremlin, the potential sale of unmanned combat drones from NATO member Turkey to Russia is also on the agenda.
Putin has recently suggested that Russia cooperate with Turkey’s Baykar drone producer, local broadcaster CNN Türk had quoted Erdogan as saying last month.
The Ukrainian Army has been using Baykar’s Bayraktar TB2 drones against Russian forces since start of the invasion in February.
Talks between Ankara and Moscow on developments in Syria will “bring relief to the region,” the Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said ahead of a bilateral meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
“I believe that our handling of the developments in Syria on this occasion will also bring relief to the region,” Erdogan said according to Turkish TRT Radio and TV broadcasting channel.
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