Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Şimşek, who flew to Moscow on Tuesday for bilateral talks regarding trade restrictions, announced that a Russian delegation will visit Turkey next week to conduct a technical survey and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich will also come on May 5-6 to finalize the consultations on trade restrictions.

Minister Şimşek, who addressed the public by way of Twitter, wrote, "We had a productive meeting. We discussed all issues. We will meet again in May in order to work out a solution."

Headed by Şimşek, the delegation to Moscow, which also included Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci, met with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich in order to come to an agreement regarding restrictions on imports of Turkish products.Additionally, the delegation discussed the limitations imposed on the employment of Turkish workers inside the Russian Federation as well as finding a solution to changes in visa regulations.

Economy Minister Zeybekci stressed that the common aim was to strengthen Russian-Turkish relations, stating on Twitter that, "We are in Moscow so that our trade relations with Russia can unfold their true potential."

In mid-October 2016, the Russian government lifted a ban on some food imports from Turkey Tuesday in the latest sign of warming ties with Ankara. Last year, Russia had imposed sanctions on Turkey after it downed a Russian warplane that violated its airspace near the Syrian border.

A government decree said Russia has lifted the ban on imports of fresh and dried oranges, tangerines and other citrus fruits, as well as apricots, peaches and plums.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the decision to end the ban on imports during the World Energy Congress in Istanbul where the two countries agreed to build an undersea gas pipeline to Turkey.