Moscow-Ankara Ties Unaffected by Armenian Genocide Recognition

Earlier in the day, President Putin said that there was "no and cannot be any justifications for the mass killing of people," during a solemn ceremony in the Armenian capital of Yerevan.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Turkey's relations with Russia will not be affected by Russian President Vladimir Putin attending the memorial service to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Yalcin Akdogan told Sputnik Friday.

"These decisions practically do not have any importance. Of course we are disappointed by the [genocide] statements by the countries that we have close bilateral ties with. But there will be no practical response."

Meanwhile, Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said that Turkey-Russia relations would not be dented over the Armenian genocide recognition, which has been a sensitive issue for Ankara.

"As to his [Putin's] visit to Yerevan and not here [to Turkey] you shouldn't think that one rules out the other."

The Armenian genocide included a series of mass killings and starvation ordered by the Ottoman government during and after World War I culminating in 1915.

The atrocities claimed the lives of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians, according to Yerevan data. Turkey refuses to name the massacre a genocide, claiming that Turkish nationals were also among victims.

The Armenian genocide has been recognized by 25 countries, including Russia, Germany and France.