MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russia is ready to "unfreeze" its relations with Turkey if Ankara acknowledges its responsibility for downing of the Russian Su-24 aircraft, Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko said.
"Russia-Turkey relations are not at their best, to put it mildly. As you know, we are not to blame for the deterioration of the relations. We are ready to unfreeze them if the Turkish leadership recognizes its responsibility in downing a Russian aircraft over Syrian territory. However, there are not such hints from the Turkish side," Matvienko told RIA Novosti.
Relations between Moscow and Ankara deteriorated a Turkish F-16 shot down Russia's Su-24 bomber conducting an antiterrorist operation in Syria on November 24. Russia responded with a broadside of economic measures.
Russia's retaliatory measures against Ankara include, in particular, a restriction of the activities of Turkish organizations in Russia, prohibition of hiring Turkish citizens by Russian employers and a ban on certain food imports.
There have been no high-level contacts between the two countries following the November incident.
