Problems in Turkey, Russia Relations Now Thing of Past – Turkish FM

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that the fact that Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim in Moscow indicated that the Russian-Turkish relations were important for Moscow and that the Russian leader wanted to normalize them.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Turkey and Russia have overcome a difficult period in bilateral relations and are boosting cooperation now, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told Sputnik on Monday.

"The problems in our relations with Russia have become a thing of the past. Since this June, there have been gradual intensification of dialogue in Turkish-Russian relations," Cavusoglu said.

He pointed out that the fact that Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim in Moscow indicated that the Russian-Turkish relations were important for Moscow and that the Russian leader wanted to normalize them.

Cavusoglu also said that Yildirim’s visit to Moscow on December 5-6 focused on economic issues such as reintroduction of the visa free regime and cooperation in the energy sphere. During the Yildirim's visit, the sides also agreed to develop cooperation at the parliamentary level, according to the Turkish foreign minister.

Russian-Turkish relations deteriorated after the downing of a Russian military plane by a Turkish fighter jet in Syria on November 24, 2015. Moscow imposed a number of restrictive measures on Turkey in response to what Putin then described as a "stab in the back." A thaw in relations between Moscow and Ankara began in June following Turkey's apology to Russia.