Putin to visit Istanbul with Syria, natural gas on agenda
Russian President Vladimir Putin will pay an official visit to Turkey on Oct. 11. The visit will focus on a number of issues including the Syrian crisis, the Turkish Stream and the restoration of business ties between Turkey and Russia through lifting select restrictions imposed on Turkish businessmen following the jet downing crisis. Putin will attend the Joint Economic Commission (KEK) meeting in Istanbul during his visit.
Information about the visit came on Wednesday from Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) President Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, who met with the First Deputy Minister of Economic Development in Moscow along with a committee of Turkish businessmen.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said yesterday to a Russian website that Russia and Turkey are cooperating constructively in Syria, adding that the two countries could even conduct a joint operation in Syria.
"Apart from the period following the jet crisis, the two countries have long been talking about a strategic partnership despite differences and we'll see whether this rhetoric will actually take shape during the visit," Eşref Yalınkılıçlı, an Eurasian analyst and journalist, told Daily Sabah.
Saying that Moscow and Ankara are the two prominent actors in Eurasia, Yalınkılçlı underscored that Putin's visit may define the new aspect of Turkey-Russia relations in future. "Turkey proved that it is the sole actor capable of conducting a ground operation in Syria, and the country knows Russia is the most important actor regarding solutions, as Western countries are not eager to do something to solve the crisis. Despite the two countries' historical grievances and power struggle in the region, the two countries can step into a strategic alliance and military cooperation, which somehow depends on fully restoring, and even pushing forward bilateral economic relations," he said.
He also added that both countries have shown maximum effort to avoid possible conflict in Syria, particularly in Aleppo via Bashar Assad and Syrian opposition.
Press Secretary for the Russia President Dimitry Peskov also confirmed that Putin may visit Turkey in October.
"We will make the necessary announcement when all preparations are complete," Peskov told reporters in Moscow.
The last time Putin visited Turkey was at the G20 Antalya Summit in November 2015.
Relations between the two countries hit a low in November 2015 after Turkish jets downed a Russian Su-24 bomber near the Syrian border for violating Turkish airspace. Turkey provided radar data that the Russian planes breached the border while Moscow insisted that the warplane had not crossed the border.
In the beginning, Erdoğan and Putin exchanged harsh criticism and ultimatums in the wake of the jet crisis. The Kremlin directed accusations at Ankara and imposed sanctions that continue to deal a heavy blow to Turkey's tourism sector.
Tension between the two countries settled when President Erdoğan expressed regret for the downing of a Russian military jet to Vladimir Putin back in June.
Information about the visit came on Wednesday from Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) President Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, who met with the First Deputy Minister of Economic Development in Moscow along with a committee of Turkish businessmen.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said yesterday to a Russian website that Russia and Turkey are cooperating constructively in Syria, adding that the two countries could even conduct a joint operation in Syria.
"Apart from the period following the jet crisis, the two countries have long been talking about a strategic partnership despite differences and we'll see whether this rhetoric will actually take shape during the visit," Eşref Yalınkılıçlı, an Eurasian analyst and journalist, told Daily Sabah.
Saying that Moscow and Ankara are the two prominent actors in Eurasia, Yalınkılçlı underscored that Putin's visit may define the new aspect of Turkey-Russia relations in future. "Turkey proved that it is the sole actor capable of conducting a ground operation in Syria, and the country knows Russia is the most important actor regarding solutions, as Western countries are not eager to do something to solve the crisis. Despite the two countries' historical grievances and power struggle in the region, the two countries can step into a strategic alliance and military cooperation, which somehow depends on fully restoring, and even pushing forward bilateral economic relations," he said.
He also added that both countries have shown maximum effort to avoid possible conflict in Syria, particularly in Aleppo via Bashar Assad and Syrian opposition.
Press Secretary for the Russia President Dimitry Peskov also confirmed that Putin may visit Turkey in October.
"We will make the necessary announcement when all preparations are complete," Peskov told reporters in Moscow.
The last time Putin visited Turkey was at the G20 Antalya Summit in November 2015.
Relations between the two countries hit a low in November 2015 after Turkish jets downed a Russian Su-24 bomber near the Syrian border for violating Turkish airspace. Turkey provided radar data that the Russian planes breached the border while Moscow insisted that the warplane had not crossed the border.
In the beginning, Erdoğan and Putin exchanged harsh criticism and ultimatums in the wake of the jet crisis. The Kremlin directed accusations at Ankara and imposed sanctions that continue to deal a heavy blow to Turkey's tourism sector.
Tension between the two countries settled when President Erdoğan expressed regret for the downing of a Russian military jet to Vladimir Putin back in June.