Russia's Envoy to Turkey Hopes Moscow-Ankara Relations to Improve

Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov said that he hopes a time will come when relations between Russian and Turkey return to the level that they were at before Ankara shot down a Russian Su-24 aircraft last year.

ANKARA (Sputnik) — Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov expressed hope on Wednesday that Turkish-Russian relations would eventually normalize.

"The history of our relations with Turkey spans several centuries, and today, we sincerely hope that a time will come when out relations return to the level that they were at before November 24 last year," Karlov told RIA Novosti during a memorial ceremony dedicated to Russian diplomats at Ankara's St. Petersburg Square.

St. Pertersburg Square was named so to honor of Russian-Turkish friendship in December 2014 by Ankara's Altindag district authorities. The first Soviet mission to Turkey was located on the square between 1920 and 1927.

The ceremony marking Russia's Diplomats' Day celebrations was attended by Russian embassy staff, Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation representatives and prominent members of the Turkish society. The ceremony was followed by an exhibition event at the former Russian mission building.

Relations between Turkey and Russia deteriorated in November last year when Ankara shot down a Russian Su-24 aircraft carrying out anti-terrorist operations in Syria. Despite Ankara's claims that the plane had violated Turkish airspace, both Russian and Syrian military officials confirmed that the plane never crossed into Turkish airspace.

Russia suspended its visa-free regime with Turkey and imposed an array of economic measures on Ankara in response to the downing of Russia’s Su-24 frontline bomber.

In late January, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Ankara was eager to normalize relations with Moscow.