Putin and Erdogan agree to strengthen economic and energy cooperation

Europe 1 with AFP 9:38 p.m., August 05, 2022

The Kremlin said that after their meeting in Sochi, Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan decided on Friday on energy and economic cooperation.

The two leaders agreed to "strengthen trade" between their countries and "to meet mutual expectations in the field of economy and energy", according to a joint statement by Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, published by the Kremlin.

The crucial importance of "sincere and trusting relationships"

The two leaders notably advocated the implementation of "concrete measures" to strengthen cooperation in the fields of transport, agriculture, industry and finance, as well as in tourism, according to the same source.

On the political side, they stressed "the crucial importance of sincere, frank and trusting relations between Russia and Turkey to ensure regional and international stability", the statement said.

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At the start of their meeting in the Russian resort of Sochi, the master of the Kremlin thanked the Turkish president for his efforts which made it possible to find an agreement between Moscow and Ukraine on the deliveries of Ukrainian cereals from the Ukrainian ports of the black Sea.

"Thanks to your direct participation and the mediation of the UN Secretariat, the problem related to Ukrainian grain deliveries from Black Sea ports has been resolved. Deliveries have already started, and I would like to thank you for that" , he said.

He also underlined the role of Ankara in the transit of Russian gas to Europe, via the TurkStream gas pipeline.

"European partners should be grateful to Turkey for ensuring the uninterrupted transit of Russian gas," Vladimir Putin said.

Gas deliveries partially paid for in rubles

At the end of their meeting, the two presidents agreed that deliveries of Russian gas to Turkey should be "partially paid for in roubles", Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak told the press. welcoming a "new stage and new opportunities".

Russia has been seeking for months to impose its currency in international settlements against the euro and the dollar, against the backdrop of unprecedented Western economic sanctions against Moscow due to the conflict in Ukraine.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan had already said on Friday that he hoped that his meeting with Vladimir Putin would "open a very different page in Russian-Turkish relations".

The Turkish president also said he wanted to speak with his Russian counterpart about Syria, where Ankara threatens to launch a military operation against Kurdish groups which he describes as "terrorists", which Moscow opposes.

"Discussing the developments in Syria on this occasion will help calm the region. Our solidarity in the fight against terrorism is very important," said Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Turkish head of state had also said he wanted to ensure that the construction of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant by the Russian nuclear giant Rosatom, in southern Turkey, would respect the "fixed schedule", while a litigation is likely to cause delays in this mega-project.