Erdoğan discusses Turkey-Russia relations with Putin

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin talk to each other during their meeting in the Bocharov Ruchei residence in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russia, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021. (Vladimir Smirnov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

by DAILY SABAH

Dec 03, 2021 6:24 pm

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan discussed Turkey-Russia relations with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in phone call on Friday.

The two leaders talked about enhancing bilateral ties, a statement by the Presidential Communications Directorate said.

They also touched upon recent regional developments in Azerbaijan and Armenia, Syria, Libya and Ukraine.

Erdoğan recently said Turkey could mediate between Ukraine and Russia amid increasing tensions in the region.

Turkey, a NATO member, has criticized Moscow's annexation of Crimea and voiced support for Ukraine's territorial integrity. The United States and United Nations General Assembly view the annexation as illegal as well.

Fighting between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatists in Donbass has killed more than 13,000 people since 2014, according to the U.N.

The region is one of the several sources of friction between Russia and Ukraine.