ASTANA: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, during a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation to discuss bilateral and global issues.
According to Türkiye’s Communications Directorate, the leaders addressed various topics, including the ongoing Ukraine war, Israel’s attacks on Palestinian territories, efforts to resolve the crisis in Syria, and the fight against terrorism.
Erdogan emphasized the continuing cooperation between Türkiye and Russia, particularly highlighting the construction of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant. He stated, “We have discussions (with Russia) on the Sinop Nuclear Power Plant, I believe we can take serious steps on that matter.”
The Sinop plant, proposed in Türkiye’s Black Sea region, would be the country’s second nuclear facility, following the one in southern Türkiye, and also built in partnership with Moscow.
Trade Volume Goal
President Erdogan expressed confidence in reaching an ambitious trade volume goal of $100 billion, noting the strong potential for growth in bilateral relations. Putin remarked that despite various challenges, the relationship between Russia and Türkiye is progressing steadily.
He highlighted the success of their strategic projects and noted record-breaking tourism numbers, with 6.7 million Russian tourists visiting Türkiye last year.
Erdogan invited Putin to visit Türkiye, to which Putin responded, “I will definitely come.”
