"We will work closely with Russia in areas such as the process of normalization of relations, the abolition of the visa regime, the establishment of conditions for tourism, for increasing the trade turnover between the two countries to $100 billion, an optimum cooperation on political issues, taking into account the sensitivities for both countries, cooperation on energy projects and funding of the investment projects from the fund jointly established by the two countries," Tufenkci said answering the question about the perspectives of bilateral trade relations in 2017.
The 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.
In 2015, the trade turnover between the two states reached $23.3 billion, according to the Russian Federal Customs Service.
